Days after joining the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, former MLA Rajan Teli on Monday accused Sindhudurg Guardian Minister Nitesh Rane of the BJP of being the “mastermind” behind the alleged irregular loan disbursals at the Sindhudurg District Central Cooperative Bank. Teli claimed that Rane used his position as a bank director to get officials to sanction large loans, including Rs 10 crore to a private firm and Rs 7.5 crore to a personal assistant earning Rs 20,000 a month. Calling for a DGP-level probe, Teli said that complaints sent to NABARD and the Registrar of Cooperatives went unheeded. Dismissing the allegations, Rane said that Teli himself is under CBI investigation over alleged misuse of bank loans. “An accused who is under investigation making allegations against me doesn’t make sense. Let the investigation reveal the truth,” Rane told media. Teli had contested the 2024 Assembly elections from Sawantwadi on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket and joined the Shiv Sena led by Shinde last week.
