Former MP, MLA among 16 arrested in bank scam case

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, May 20 (UNI) The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) today arrested former MP Ramkrishnababa Patil, former MLA Nitin Patil and 14 others for their involvement in two recruitment scandals in the Aurangabad District Central Cooperative Bank (ADCCB) between 2001 and 2004.

Thirty other accused are yet to be arrested.

According to ACB sources, apart from violating government norms, the then chairman and others of the ADCC and the Aurangabad Zilla Dekhrekh Sahkari Sangh committed a number of irregularities.

A complaint in this connection was made to the ACB by former MLA Kailas Patil Chikatgaokar, about two and half years back.

Two separate cases have been registered against the then office-bearers of the ADCCB and Zilla Sahkari Sangh. The first case was related to irregularities in the recruitment of peons and clerks (between January 15, 2001 and February 28, 2002). Similarly, in the Sahkari Sangh case (between July 22, 2002 and January 20, 2004), they have changed the list and made excess recruitment, said a complaint filed against the then office bearers of the bank registered by the ACB dy SP Kishor Kamble.

Sources also said that the new recruits were made members of the bank's co-operative credit society and were given loans immediately after recruitment to the tune of 2.5 crore.

The 16 persons including the former MP and the MLA, have been remanded to police custody till May 23.

UNI