Depositors who lost their money in the BSNL Engineers’ Cooperative Society (T-950) scam have urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the BSNL management to investigate the involvement of BSNL staff in the scam and take action against them.
Along with their complaints to the police and the State government, several depositors have lodged complaints with the top officials of the BSNL Kerala circle.
The case pertains to the alleged embezzlement of ₹260 crore by the past office- bearers of the society. The Crime Branch and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) are currently investigating the case. However, depositors allege that the BSNL management is yet to initiate any concrete action.
Depositors allege that the cooperative society was originally established with DoT and BSNL approval and housed within the premises of the BSNL Thiruvananthapuram office. Though established with the aim of supporting retired DoT and BSNL employees, the society deviated from its original purpose, they said.
Victims of the scam include financially struggling and retired individuals who are facing severe financial distress, one of the depositors noted in his complaint. The DoT and BSNL have a moral and ethical responsibility to act in this context, he said.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the BSNL said the cooperative society had no links with BSNL. Besides, as the Crime Branch and ED probes were in progress, they had limitations in initiating action. BSNL (Kerala Circle) chief general manager B. Sunil Kumar said that the complaints received from the depositors have been forwarded to the corporate office.
The victims include several hundreds of depositors, the vast majority of whom are in the 65-85 age group, who had invested in deposit schemes in the society and, were cheated of their life savings, according to multiple complaints lodged with the police and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
On January 10, the Kerala High Court had directed the ED to file a statement on the progress of the investigation into the financial scam.
