Cuttack: Amid protest by locals, the Urban Cooperative Bank has taken possession of a piece of land belonging to Anupras Mohanty, brother of BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty, at Shelter Chhak for allegedly defaulting in loan repayment.
According to sources, Anupras had availed a loan of Rs 56 lakh from the bank by mortgaging the land in October 2013. As he reportedly failed to repay the loan despite repeated notices and reminders, the bank officials on Friday took possession of the land in the presence of police personnel.
As the bank officials reached the site, several residents of the area including members of a local outfit opposed the action claiming that the property did not belong to the MP’s brother and the matter is sub-judice in a court since 2016.
Secretary of Netaji Sangha, Biswanath Mukherjee was quoted by TNIE as saying that the land originally belonged to Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das. Subsequently, false documents were prepared by some land mafia and it was sold to Anupras, he alleged.
Claiming that the government had given the land to the Sangha, he alleged that some land mafia subsequently sold the property to Anupras and others fraudulently. The bank should have verified whether the land was in possession of the loanee before it was mortgaged to avail any loan, he reportedly said.
According to Gandarpur branch Manager of Urban Cooperative Bank Bijayanand Mishra, the land belongs to Anupras who had availed a loan of Rs 56 lakh by mortgaging it. Around Rs 75 lakh including the interest is due on him. The documents furnished supporting the ownership of the land were verified and found valid, he added.
