Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers in Tarn Taran demand inquiry into ‘fraud’ of Rs 2.8L by Punjab National Bank

Tarn Taran, November 17Farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, on Tuesday gheraoed a local branch of Punjab National Bank against a fraud of Rs 2.8 lakh with a farmer. The farmers staged a dharna in front of the bank which resulted in disruption of normal flow of traffic. The police had a tough time managing traffic on the road.Sangharsh committee leader Jarmanjit Singh, while addressing on the occasion, said Gurinderjit Singh, a farmer of Kabbe Dogran village, dropped a cheque for Rs 2.8 lakh in cheque-drop box situated at bank’s branch on the instructions of a bank employee on September 23. He had been regularly in touch with bank officials about the entry of amount in his account. He was astonished to know when the bank officials informed him on October 3 that the bank had not received his cheque. Meanwhile, he came to know that the cheque amount had been withdrawn through the bank branch in Amritsar by some other person. The farmers brought the matter to the notice of bank manager and informed him that they would hold a dharna against fraud, but he went on leave today.SDM Rajnish Arora arranged a meeting with a delegation of the farmers and bank officials. After hearing both the parties he ordered bank officials to make the payment to farmer. After that the farmers lifted the dharna. The farmers have demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter to know the role of bank officials in the alleged fraud.

The Tribune

2020-11-18