A 64-year-old depositor of the scam-hit Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank died due to a heart attack in Navi Mumbai, her family said on November 1.
With the death of one more account holder in Mumbai, the death toll due to the alleged ₹4,355 crore scam at the bank rose to seven.
Kuldeep Kaur Vig, a resident of Navi Mumbai, suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to the hospital. However, she died during treatment on October 29 . According to her husband, Varinder Singh, Vig was worried about her money being stuck in the bank. After watching the protests against the bank on TV, she became further stressed.
“We don’t have money to renew our health insurance,” says Singh, stating that no one would accept a PMC cheque. “Seven depositors have died so far. How many more deaths the bank needs?” Singh asked, according to a report by The Times of India.
After a fraud of Rs 4,355 crore involving HDIL (Housing Development & Infrastructure Ltd) came to light, Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had imposed a limit on withdrawals from the bank since September 25. The limit of initial Rs 1000 was later raised to Rs 40,000 for six months on October 14.
Ever since the scam came to light, 7 account holders have allegedly died, including one by alleged suicide. Several distressed account holders have also been protesting across the country.
Meanwhile, the administrator appointed by the RBI has asked the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai Police to release properties attached in the PMC Bank case for auction. According to a report by the Economic Times, the auction could enable the proceedings of the sale to be infused in the bank for distribution among the distributors. The Wadhawans(Rakesh Wadhawan, the chairman and managing director of HDIL, and his son Sarang Wadhawan) has also agreed to the auction, said the report. The move comes as a relief to the distressed account holders of the bank.
