Team Herald
PONDA: At this age they should be spending time with their grandchildren and leading peaceful lives, living off their lives’ savings. But then life has dealt these elderly a severe blow.
Senior citizens / depositors of Marcel Mahila Co-operative Credit Society at Marcel filed police complaints against cheating them of their hard-earned retirement money to the tune of Rs 9 crore.
The depositors who gathered today at Ponda Police Station, speaking to media, said they want the society to refund their fixed deposit money. They demanded that police file FIR against Society chairman, vice chairman, secretary and directors.
Speaking to the media, advocate of depositors Sushma Gaude said they had filed a cheating complaint against the Society in December 2021 but it’s now three times they were called by the police, however, the Society chairman and directors are not attending to police inquiries. Today the chairman and directors were called at the police station but chairman remained absent citing she wants to attend a marriage ceremony while the manager was absent citing another excuse. The two directors of society were present however they
already resigned from their post and even filed a complaint against Society Chairman and other directors.
She said, “The Society has cheated around 200 shareholders and depositors most of whom are senior citizens who were induced to fix deposit their money with the society. Many of these depositors who are senior citizens struggle to bear the cost of their treatment, medical expenses. They had deposited all of their hard earned money in their and family members’ name.”
“It is three years since the maturity of deposits but the society is not refunding their money nor does the lady chairman entertain the depositors and clarify what happens to their hard earned money deposited with the society. There has been no AGM or Board meeting of the society for two years”, she said.
She said, “The depositors also filed a complaint with the Registrar of the Cooperative Societies but so far no action has been taken against the Society.
Adv Sushma said, “Today the police promised to conduct a probe into the matter. The officials said the chairman has been called to Police Station on March 29. The police also promised to get an inquiry report from RCS and also an audit report of the Society to give justice to the depositors.”
