Cops probe bankers over fake certificates

Controversy brews as bank employees and investigating cops give differing reports about the status of the case

Cops probe bankers over fake certificates

Controversy brews as bank employees and investigating cops give differing reports about the status of the case
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Top-notch officials of IDBI Bank have come under the police scanner, after allegedly submitting false domicile certificates to obtain memberships of a housing society scheme at Nerul, Navi Mumbai.

Acting on a private complaint filed by Smita Shettyu00a0 (39), a first Class Judicial Magistrate in Vashi ordered a police enquiry against M/s Palm Tower Co-operative Housing Society Limited and 38 others, under section 153 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court accepted the petition filed by Shetty, and directed the police to probe the matter under nine other sections of the Indian Penal Code, as also under numerous sections of the Maharashtra Ownership Flat Act (MOFA).

Shetty accused 27 high-ranking officers of submitting false affidavits to CIDCO, stating they have been residents of Maharashtra for 15 years, to gain entry into the society.

Shetty wanted to buy a flat in the same property in Nerul. She learnt that CIDCO had allotted 12,100 sq m of the property to IDBI, to be leased for the construction of staff quarters. When IDBI failed to construct the promised staff quarters, it requested CIDCO's permission to distribute the plot to its class I and class III employees. The chief promoter B Ramteke began construction of the flats for class I employees, after their applications for membership was approved by CIDCO.

"Two towers with around 100 flats consisting of 2BHK, 3BHK and duplex apartments were to be constructed, including 40 commercial outlets, as per the approved plan. The construction work started accordingly but disputes started cropping up between the society members and the chief promoter. The matter was dragged to Raigad Bhavan, the Joint Registrar of the Co-operative Society. Bhavan appointed an administrator to look into the matter, following which criminal and civil cases were filed in lower courts and the Bombay High court against the chief promoter," said a senior IDBI officer, who did not wish to be named.u00a0

Shetty in her complaint stated that in March 2007, she gained membership to the Palm Tower Co-operative Housing by the same administrator, and was allotted flat no A-1004, at a cost of Rs 14.58 lakh. As the building was then under construction, she paid Rs 39,550 as part payment towards construction costs and membership fees. She even wrote out a cheque of Rs 7 lakh as advance payment for the flat. Soon however, her membership was rejected.

"I decided to approach the court after my legally obtained membership was rejected by the society's committee members, while it was granted to IDBI officials who did not even have valid domicile certificates. Even the local police refused to take cognisance of my complaint," said Shetty.

The chairman of Palm Tower Co-operative Society, retired Chief General Manager (IDBI), K D Hodawdekar rubbished the claims made by Shetty, saying, "She is not an employee of IDBI or of an IDBI associate. Hence her membership is invalid." He added, "Most of the members have accumulated the sum necessary for construction by taking home loans or withdrawing their life saving from provident funds. But they made such decisions only after CIDCO approved their memberships."

Advocate Ravi Kamath, who is representing the society, said, "We have challenged the Vashi court order on the grounds that the original complaint was not valid, as the flat was sold to Shetty unlawfully by the administrator."