Bank officials booked for forging papers to seize Shimla hotel

The complaint was filed by Shimla businessman Sumit Sood, who alleged that in 2015 he had taken a loan of Rs 9.90 crore from a bank on The Mall Road under the MSME scheme for his hotel. He alleged that the bank initially asked him to reduce the project report from Rs 16.55 crore to Rs 14.55 crore, promising a top-up loan in return. Despite challenges, including NGT restrictions and the Covid lockdown, the bank repeatedly declared his account NPA without restructuring the loan, he alleged.

Sood further alleged that after he refused to pay a bribe demanded by a bank official, the date of commencement of commercial operations was deliberately altered to put the unit under financial stress. He was subsequently asked to deposit Rs 42 lakh under a property scheme in the name of loan restructuring. He arranged the amount by pledging family jewellery for a gold loan and made the deposit — but the bank officials allegedly conspired to undervalue the hotel and then refused to restructure the loan.

He also alleged that a bribe of Rs 26 lakh was demanded to secure approval of a Rs 2.60 crore subsidy, which he again refused. He further claimed that on September 5, 2024, fake minutes of a Financial Review and Restructuring meeting were prepared falsely showing his presence, even though he had never attended.

Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections relating to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy and have initiated investigation.