ASCARD bank loan scam case: CBI books former Assam CM’s son
 

The CBI officials conducted a raid at the residence of Ashok at Nandan Nagar on Sunday. The investigation agency also asked him to appear before the court on Tuesday (November 9).

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GUWAHATI:

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on November 7 booked former Assam chief minister Hiteswar Saikia’s younger son Ashok Saikia (director of HBS India Pvt. Ltd) in connection with Assam State Cooperative Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (ASCARD) fraud case of 1995-96.

The CBI officials conducted a raid at the residence of Ashok at Nandan Nagar on Sunday. The investigation agency also asked him to appear before the court on Tuesday (November 9).

Ashok Saikia had taken a loan of Rs 9.32 lakh from the bank violating all norms when his father Hiteswar Saikia was the chief minister (1991-96) and Imran Shah was the chairman of the bank.

The bank had sanctioned loans to many top political leaders and businessmen during this period even as the cooperative bank is authorized to grant loans to farmers only.

Later AGP-led five-party alliance came to the power in Dispur and appointed CPI leader Munin Mahanta as chairman of the bank, who had taken an initiative to recover the loan amount from the defaulters.

On the basis of the complaint of the bank, the Paltan Bazar Police Station had registered a case (No. 202/1998) against Ashok Saikia. Later in 2001, the case was handed over to the CBI based on complaints.

A CBI court had earlier in 2013 sentenced Ashok Saikia to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 after pronouncing him guilty of playing fraud with the ASCARD Bank, However, Ashok had been allegedly absconding since then as the case was still pending in the court. 

“There were two cases registered against me. In the first case, the court has already passed the judgement, further, I made an appeal to a higher court in this regard and hence, I have nothing to say much about it. The second case is about a loan case, in which I have already paid my pending dues both principal and interest after a settlement with the bank. However, the case is still pending at the court. CBI has sent me a notice and has asked me to appear before the court on November 9,” Saikia told media after the raid.

Saikia produced a copy of the ASCARD Bank letter claiming that he had already repaid the entire amount on September 14, 2011.’’

“Ashok Kumar Saikia, director, HBS India Pvt. Ltd was a loanee of Assam State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development (ASCARD) Bank Limited. He has availed loan amount of Rs 9,37,701 only under Bridge Loan Scheme during the year 1996. As per our letter dated 14.09.2011 under the compromise settlement scheme he has fully repaid the dues both principal and interest. Now his aforesaid loan is liquidated,” ASCARD bank general manager HN Borah said in a statement issued on October 10, 2015.

“The CBI shouldn’t have intervened in the issue as my brother had already repaid the loan six years back,” said Congress leader Debabrata Saikia.

“My younger brother Ashok Saikia is innocent. All the loans have already been repaid by him by 2015. I am sure justice will be served in his favour,” he added.

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