Bandra bank has over 4,500 benami accounts: Kirit Somaiya

Mumbai: Drawing attention to alleged benami transactions amounting to Rs 300 crore, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) from Mumbai North-east Kirit Somaiya has requested Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel to investigate transactions at a Mumbai-based cooperative bank.

In a letter to the RBI governor on Thursday, Mr Somaiya requested the cooperation of all four investigative agencies from the country, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), income tax (IT) department, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the RBI itself, to look into the matter immediately.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Mr Somaiya said, “I have personally investigated, with the help of investigative agencies, and found that the Bandra Citizens’ Cooperative Bank has been involved in a demonetisation fraud. The fraud amount amounts to a whopping Rs 300 crore, the agencies have confirmed. The agencies have agreed that there is some substance in the matter.”

Mr Somaiya has alleged that over 4,500 benami (nameless) accounts are being used after demonetisation for depositing black money.  Of these 4,500 accounts, about 3,000 are new accounts, while 1,500 are dormant accounts, activated for such transactions after November 8 this year.

According to the letter written by Mr Somaiya to the RBI governor, the director of income tax investigation has already launched an investigation into the matter. When The Asian Age contacted the bank for its version, no one answered the landline number available.