Bank freezes UP farmer Manmohan Singh’s accounts ‘for being Vijay Mallya’s guarantor’

If our readers are considering this Manmohan Singh to be the former Prime Minister and a very senior leader of the Congress party, known as one of the world’s most revered leaders and a man of uncommon decency and grace, then think again. 

This Manmohan Singh or rather Mallya’s “guarantor” is a 54-year-old farmer from a small village in Pilibhit. Two days ago what happened in this little, nondescript village of Khajuria Naviram under Bilsanda police station, can be certainly ascertained as an obvious case of mistaken identity.

Manmohan Singh, the farmer, does not even know who Vijay Mallya is, but his banking facilities have been terminated for standing as “guarantor” for the liquor baron, who has defaulted on loan repayment and is facing money laundering charges. He was apparently informed by Naand branch of Bank of Baroda two days ago that his two accounts were being frozen for standing as “guarantor” for Mallya.

Acting on instructions of BOB regional office, Mumbai, Manager Mange Lal froze Singh’s accounts, one having a deposit of Rs 12,000 and the other Rs 4,000. Singh says he does not even know Mallya or anything about his company. “Leave alone Mallya or Kingfisher, I have never travelled to Mumbai or even Lucknow,” he said. The farmer said he had taken a loan of Rs 4 lakh some two years ago for which he had submitted documents relating to his land with the bank. 

Meanwhile, Lal said he has got fresh orders from the regional office and Singh’s accounts are being restored with immediate effect. Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines has been accused of defaulting on bank loans of over Rs 9,400 crore.