Seethathodu (Pathanamthitta): The Seethathodu Service Cooperative Bank in Pathanamthitta district has suspended its secretary K U Jose in connection with irregularities amounting to Rs 1.62 crore in the bank.
The suspension order issued by bank president T A Niwas stated that the action was taken on the basis of the findings of the inquiry report prepared as per the Kerala Cooperative Societies Act. The letter, which was sent to Jose on September 6, pointed out that irregularities to the tune of Rs 162,89,007 has been detected in the bank. The auditing wing of the Cooperative Department had found irregularities for the 2013-18 period.
The inquiry was conducted after the Opposition Congress and the BJP complained about widespread corruption in the CPM-ruled bank and launched an agitation.
Meanwhile, Jose, who received the suspension letter on Monday, alleged that the action was politically motivated since the irregularities took place when he was not functioning as the secretary of the bank.
"I joined the bank as secretary only in June, 2019. I was working as the assistant secretary of the bank's branch at Angamoozhy during the period when the irregularities took place," Jose said defending himself.
K N Subhash, who is now retried from service, was then the secretary of the bank.
Jose accused the present director board of the bank of making him a pawn in the game in order to save the skin of those who had ruled the bank previously.
"I would move legally to prove my innocence," Jose stated.
