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Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim
Somnath Zuwarkar, a former Congress minister, was arrested on Thursday morning in connection with the Goa State Co-operative Bank scandal. Zuwarkar is chairman of the bank.
Along with Zuwarkar, police have arrested N Salkar, chief executive officer of the bank. Both have been charged with cheating, forgery, breach of trust and corruption.
A police complaint was filed by three directors of the bank on May 10, following which police had raided the bank headquarters, branches as well as Zuwarkar's official residence at Taleigao.
Zuwarkar had then approached the high court, seeking interim relief from police action while alleging political vendetta by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The plea was rejected on Wednesday.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Karnal Singh said they have found documentary evidence to prove gross illegalities in the bank in the cases of one-time settlements and granting of loans to defaulters without the approval of the board of directors or NABARD, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Zuwarkar is the second ex-minister to be arrested in Goa. On Wednesday former power minister Mauvin Godinho was arrested in connection with the power rebate scandal. Both Zuwarkar and Godinho belong to the Congress.
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