KANPUR: In a major relief, the Central Bank of India on Monday released a compensation of Rs 2.64 crore to the 11 victims of the locker theft incident of Mall road Karachi Khana branch of Kanpur.
To recall, the Director General of Institutional Finance of the state government had held a meeting with the aggrieved locker holders of the Central Bank of India Karachikhana branch and the bank officials on April 20. After which the state government had directed the bank to give immediate compensation to the locker holders of Karachi Khana branch. Rajiv Puri, the executive director,of the central office of Central Bank of India in Mumbai, on Monday reached the Central Bank of India office at Hazratganj, Lucknow on Monday and met the officials of the state government.
After this, all the victim locker holders of Karachi Khana branch were given a total claim of Rs 2.64 crore. The executive director said that the customers had asked for a total claim of Rs 3.71 crore, out of which 75 percent compensation has been paid. “The bank has decided to immediately compensate all the aggrieved locker holders, following the government’s request. This will ensure the trust, goodwill and reputation of the bank among all the locker holders and customers. Such incidents should not happen in future. For this the locker will be opened under the supervision of the Regional Officer,” he said.
The Karachi Khana branch of the Central Bank of India, located at the Birhana Road area of Kanpur, is among the oldest banks of the city. On March 14, the first case of jewellry being allegedly stolen from the branch’s locker came to light. After this 10 more such cases came to fore. Pawan Gupta and Abhimanyu Gupta of Nyaya Sangharsh Samiti assured the officials of calling off their agitation. Pawan Gupta said that all the locker holders are completely satisfied with this compensation amount. Pawan Gupta said that with this step of the bank, the credibility of the bank has been established back.
Abhimanyu Gupta said that this will end the atmosphere of dissatisfaction and uncertainty towards the bank in the society. “This will send a positive message to Kanpur, the state and the country. Compensation of 2.64 crore was given to all the victims,” said Gupta further. Till date 11 incidents of theft from the lockers of the Karachi Khana branch of the Central Bank of India have been reported. Of the 3.72 crore worth stolen jewellery from 11 lockers of the bank, the police, after the arrest of six people including the bank manager and assistant bank manager, have managed to recover around 1 kg of stolen jewellery.
