An incident occurred in the Gadhwa district of Jharkhand state where a 75-year-old tribal elder passed away because he could not receive medical treatment as the bank refused to disburse his pension. Following this incident, Chief Minister Hemant Soren took the situation very seriously and ordered an investigation.
Investigation Requirements
He instructed the Deputy District Magistrate of Gadhwa to conduct an immediate inquiry into the entire matter, take strict action against those responsible, and provide a detailed report.
Bank's Position and Family's Account
The deceased was identified as 75-year-old Ratan Lakda. Family members claim that for the past three months, they had to constantly visit the bank branch located in Badgarh. Bank employees insisted that the pension could not be issued due to an incomplete electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) procedure.
Despite Ratan Lakda being ill for a long time and needing pension funds for treatment, they could not be paid out despite repeated requests. His daughter-in-law, Phulmani Lakda, stated that the family approached the bank's regional manager requesting the completion of e-KYC to receive money for treatment.
Disagreements and Tragic Outcome
Phulmani claims that after the intervention of the regional manager, the e-KYC was completed, but the pension still could not be withdrawn, and Ratan Lakda passed away on Monday. Meanwhile, one bank employee refuted the relatives' statements, claiming that no one came to the bank to withdraw funds after the e-KYC was completed.
Official Action
In the meantime, the Deputy District Magistrate of Gadhwa, Pashupati Nath Mishra, formed a special group to investigate the case. Under the minister's directive, he assigned an additional check to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). It was promised that any individuals found guilty during the investigation would face severe punishment according to the rules. Furthermore, Ratan Lakda's family was guaranteed all possible assistance within the scope of government norms.