EOW: Probe underway in coop bank fraud case

THE ECONOMIC Offences Wing (EOW) told a special court on Friday that its investigation in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) alleged fraud case is underway. The submission was part of a reply filed by EOW on an application filed by one of the parties seeking rejection of a closure report previously filed by EOW and all accused be summoned.

Special public prosecutor Ajay Misar in the plea filed before the special court said that since investigation is underway, the plea on the closure report or to summon the accused cannot be accepted at this stage.

The MSCB scam is an alleged Rs 25,000 crore fraud. The bank was said to have given loans in a fraudulent manner. In 2020, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power, the EOW on September 10, 2020, stating that there no cognizable offence was made out, filed a closure report in the case. Thereupon, a clean chit was given to NCP leader Ajit Pawar and over 70 others who were under the scanner.

In 2022, after the change in government, the EOW said that it is again probing the case.