MLA misled public: Cooperative bank chief

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, March 12

A day after Amritsar (West) MLA Jasbir Singh Sandhu raised questions over election of the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Amritsar Central Cooperative Bank in the Punjab Assembly; Arinderbir Singh Walia, chairman, Amritsar Central Cooperative Bank, alleged that MLA Sandhu misled the Assembly and public about the elections of cooperative societies.

Walia claimed that he was elected as the director on December 15, 2021, following due procedure. On April 8, 2022, he was elected as the chairman of the Amritsar Central Cooperative Bank. A complaint challenging his election was filed with the registrar, Cooperative Societies, in June 2022. The joint registrar conducted hearings in the case and on August 18, 2022, denied to disqualify him.

“On the question raised by the MLA, the office of registrar, cooperative society, responded that no inquiry is pending against Walia. Moreover, in the alleged case of embezzlement at the East Mohan Nagar branch, a police case has been already registered against the guilty staff in 2019. The MLA is targeting me because of some personal reasons,” alleged Walia.

He alleged that after being elected as the MLA, Sandhu called him and asked for a favour. “He asked me to pay Rs 95,000 to a printing firm from where he got flex and banners in election and I denied it. Then, he asked me to get a bank branch shifted to a building that belongs to him or his known person. We again denied it citing RBI rules. Now, the MLA levying false allegations against me,” said Walia.

When contacted, MLA Sandhu refuted the allegations. “I have received many complaints against Walia. His corrupt practices are under scanner. He is levelling false allegations on me. I never demanded any favour from him,” he said.