Huge deposits of demonetised notes in Gujarat DCCBs; Congress points finger at BJP

“While people of India were suffering in queues, scamsters were converting ‘Black’ to ‘White’”, thundered Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Friday, June 22. An RTI reply dated May 7, 2018 has revealed that Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank (ADCB)—one of out of 370 district central co-operative banks in the country—whose directors include BJP’s National President Amit Shah and his “close associates”, received the highest amount of old demonetised ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes.

Surjewala at a press conference in Delhi on June 22 alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “choreographed the DeMo, leaving out window for black money hoarders to benefit”.

The RTI reply had revealed that ADCB had received a whopping ₹745.58 crore worth of demonetisated notes within just five days of the demonetisation decision announced by the PM on November 8, 2016. Specifically, the notes were deposited, said Congress, between November 10 and 14, 2016. The RTI reply showed that ADCB received the maximum number of demonetised notes (see image below) out of 370 such district central co-operative banks across India, that too within just five days. Congress on June 22 said that ADCB’s chairman Ajay Patel is a prominent BJP leader and a close associate of Amit Shah.

Surjewala pointed to the website of ADCB to show that Yashpal Chudasama “whose name appears in the infamous ‘Jay Shah-Zyada’ Case”, according to Congress, is also a director of the ADCB.

Congress underlined the fact that all the DCCBs were banned from accepting deposits of the banned currency notes from the public after November 14, 2016—five days after demonetisation—on the reasoning that black money could be laundered through this route, but in the case of ADCB of which BJP President Amit Shah is a director, “it was already ‘transferred’!

As reported on Thursday, June 21, the RTI reply showed that right behind ADCB, at the number 2 position among DCCBs in terms of collecting the banned notes, was the Rajkot District Cooperative Bank, which received old notes worth a whopping ₹693.19 crore. RDCB’s chairman is BJP leader Jayeshbhai Vitthalbhai Radadiya, a cabinet minister in the BJP government in Gujarat. Congress said on June 22 that another director in RDCB is prominent BJP leader and former MP from Porbandar, Jayeshbhai’s father, Vitthalbhai Radadiya.

11 DCCBs in Gujarat connected to Gujarat BJP leaders received ₹3118.51 crore worth of old notes within 5 days of Narendra Modi’s demonetisation decision

Congress said that, as per the RTI reply, 11 DCCBs in Gujarat connected to BJP leaders received ₹3118.51 crore worth of old notes within five days of Narendra Modi announcing the demonetisation decision. The party listed the following nine DCCBs in Gujarat—besides Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank and Rajkot District Cooperative Bank—which received huge amounts of old note deposits. Congress also listed the connections of each bank with the following Gujarat BJP leaders:

1. Surat District Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹369.85 crores. Directors include Prabhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava, BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bardoli; Chairman is prominent BJP leader Nareshbhai Patel
2. Sabarkantha District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd—received ₹328.50 crores. Directors include BJP MLA from Himatnagar Rajendrasinh Ranjitsinh Chavada and Praful Khoda Patel, former Minister of State for Home in the BJP government in Gujarat and presently Administrator of the union territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, appointed by Narendra Modi. Chairman is BJP leader Maheshbhai Amichandbhai Patel
3. Banaskantha District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹295.30 crore. Director is Shankar Chaudhary, former MoS for Urban Housing, Health, Family Welfare and Transport in the earlier BJP government in Gujarat and General Secretary of Gujarat BJP. Chairman is BJP leader ML Chaudhary
4. Mehsana District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹215.44 crore. Congress claimed this bank is controlled by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel “through registrar”
5. Amreli Jilla Madyastha Sahkari Bank Ltd—received ₹205.31 crore. Chairman is former BJP MP and former cabinet minister in the BJP government in Gujarat Dileepbhai Sanghani, and presently Vice Chairman of NAFED, appointed by Narendra Modi
6. The Bharuch District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹98.86 crore. Chairman is BJP MLA from Vagra Arunsinh Rana
7. Baroda Central Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹76.38 crore. Director, who controls the bank, is BJP leader Satishbhai Patel and Chairman is also a BJP leader, Atulbhai Patel
8. Junagarh Jill Sahakari Bank Ltd—received ₹59.98 crore. Chairman is Jashabhai Barad, former Cabinet Minister in BJP government and a prominent BJP leader
9. Panchmahals District Co-operative Bank Ltd—received ₹ 30.12 crore. Congress claimed this bank is controlled by former BJP MP, Gopalsinh Solanki “through registrar”

Congress said the information newly discovered through RTI, 19 months after demonetisation, makes it “officially clear that this entire exercise was the Biggest Scam in Independent India” and said it was time that Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah answered the nation’s questions on demonetisation.