Chandigarh: In a disturbing turn of events, police have initiated a case against a resident of Ram Darbar and the manager of the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Sector 30. They are accused of being involved in a significant bank loan fraud that has impacted over 100 sanitation workers from the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC).
The trouble started when a resident from Dadumajra Colony, named Sulindra, filed a complaint. He pointed fingers at Sunil and Shyamlal Ghanwari, who lived in Ram Darbar, for running a fraudulent scheme aimed at workers in the MC’s health department. Both Sunil and Ghanwari were not just employees at the municipal corporation; they also held positions in the Safai Karamchari Union. Tragically, Ghanwari passed away due to illness two months ago.
According to the complaint, the accused deceived the workers by promising them easier access to new loans. They advised the workers to cancel their existing personal loans and transfer their bank accounts to banks like Harco Bank, located in Sector 19, and SBI in Sector 30.
The complaint further alleges that Sunil and Ghanwari colluded with bank officials, including SBI Sector 30 branch manager Rahul Rana, to create fake documents. They reportedly used forged no objection certificates, salary certificates, Form 16s, and other falsified paperwork to secure loans for the workers. Many of these workers were not even eligible for such loans. It is claimed that the accused took bribes from the workers to hasten the loan processing. In return for these bribes, they would ensure that the loans were approved using the forged documents, with Ghanwari pocketing about 10% of the loan amount as his share. The complaint reveals that approximately 100 to 150 workers were affected by this fraudulent scheme.
Whenever complaints or investigations were brought against Ghanwari, he allegedly pretended to be ill and got himself admitted to hospitals. This tactic allowed him to rack up medical bills of ₹6-7 lakhs, which he used to divert attention from the inquiries and delay any internal investigations against him. Although the complaint does not specify the exact amount of money involved, it mentions that “crores of rupees” were defrauded from various banks, including Punjab National Bank, Harco Bank, and SBI.
As a result of these allegations, an FIR has been filed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code. These include Section 420 (cheating), Section 467 (forgery of valuable security), Section 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), Section 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
This case has raised serious concerns about the integrity of banking practices and the protection of workers. It underscores the need for vigilance and transparency to prevent such fraudulent activities in the future.
