Bank negligence found in pensioner's death case in Jharkhand, action recommended against manager

Ranchi, Jul 9 (PTI) An inquiry ordered by the Jharkhand government has found negligence on the part of a bank in the case of a 75-year-old tribal man who allegedly died due to lack of treatment after being unable to access his pension for months, prompting the administration to recommend action against the branch manager, an official said on Wednesday. Garhwa Deputy Commissioner Pashupati Nath Mishra said the probe found that although Ratan Lakra's e-KYC had been completed a month ago, he was repeatedly made to visit the Jharkhand Rajya Gramin Bank branch at Bargarh, causing him unnecessary hardship. "This was clearly due to the negligence of the bank management. The bank management is definitely at fault in this matter," Mishra said. He said the district administration has recommended to the general manager of Jharkhand Rajya Gramin Bank in Ranchi that disciplinary action be taken against the branch manager concerned as per rules. Lakra's family has alleged that he had been visiting the bank for the past three months to receive his pension, but payments were withheld on the ground that his e-KYC was incomplete. "My father-in-law had been making rounds of the bank for three months for his pension. He was ill and could not get proper treatment because he had no money. He died on Monday," his daughter-in-law, Phulmani Lakra, alleged. Chief Minister Hemant Soren had taken note of the incident on social media and directed the Garhwa deputy commissioner to conduct an immediate inquiry, take strict action against those responsible and submit a report. Following the chief minister's directions, the district administration constituted an inquiry committee, which submitted its findings pointing to negligence by the bank management. PTI SAN SAN SOM