Mumbai Bank fraud: BJP leader Pravin Darekar approaches court over FIR against him

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Pravin Darekar has approached the Mumbai sessions court with an anticipatory bail application regarding the FIR registered against him for cheating, conspiracy and bank scam.

On Wednesday, Bombay High Court refused to grant interim relief from coercive action to Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Pravin Darekar regarding the FIR registered against him for cheating, conspiracy and bank scam.

The police had filed an FIR against him on a complaint by the Aam Aadmi Party leader Dhananjay Shinde against Darekar alleging that the latter forged certain documents to become a member of Pratigya Labour Cooperative Society.

He has further contended that the criminal prosecution is initiated “under the influence of the state government to stop him from making allegations regarding corruption by the state government”. His petition alleges that since two state ministers – Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik – have been arrested, the government has deliberately filed the FIR with malafide intentions.

Shinde has accused Darekar of using bogus membership of a labour organisation to get directorship at the Mumbai Bank and alleged that there was fraud and irregularities in the bank during his tenure. He further alleged that Darekar, who was the Mumbai Bank Chairman from 2011 to 2021, posed as a labourer which was later found wrong.

Darekar has claimed that he was a member of the Society since 1997 and was working as a labourer. Besides, he has said that till 2017 has “contributed to the Society as a labour”. Further, he has said that under the Maharashtra co-operative Societies Act, 1860, the definition of “labour” does not mention about the person’s income.

Earlier, in January this year, the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies had disqualified Darekar as a member of the Pratigya Labour Society. He challenged this before the Cooperative Housing Society Minister.

Based on these details, an FIR was filed against him in 2015. after investigation, the police filed a “C” Summary report (Case is neither true nor false) before the magistrate. Even the complainant in the case had not opposed the report. However, the magistrate rejected the “C” Summary report and directed further investigation.

The HC, in last November, granted relief to Darekar and restrained police from taking any coercive steps against him.