Employee Terminated illegally, High Court orders Compensation

An employee was working as Steno-typist in the respondent/department in the year 2007 and his services were terminated on 28.09.2009 by an oral order.

Against the said termination, a Writ Petition No.5657 of 2015(S) was filed by the employee (respondent/workman) before Madhya Pradesh High Court, which was dismissed vide order dated 14.10.2015, with a liberty to the respondent/employee to raise an industrial dispute. The respondent had raised a dispute before the Labour Commissioner, Indore, where conciliation proceedings ended into failure and the case was referred to Labour Court No.2, Gwalior for adjudication of the industrial dispute.

The Labour Court registered the case and issued notice to the parties for filing statement of claims. The employee filed statement of claim alleging that since he had worked for more than 240 days in one calendar year therefore, his services could not have been retrenched without payment of compensation as well as without following any procedure of law, a claim was raised to reinstate him into the service with full back-wages.

The petitioner/department filed a reply alleging that there was no regular appointment given to the respondent in accordance with service Rules and neither any advertisement was issued nor eligible persons were considered alongwith the respondent/employee at the time of his appointment in the year 2007, rather his appointment has all along been shown to be for a fixed period subject to extensions and such further continuation for a fixed period, without following the procedure prescribed under the rules and without allowing other eligible candidates to participate in the selection process for regular appointment, thus, he had no right to the post.

After appreciating the evidence and perusing the record, the learned Labour Court had passed the impugned award dated 31.01.2023 observing that since termination of the respondent/employee, who has worked more than 08 years, was illegal and was not proper, therefore, he is entitled for reinstatement in service alongwith 20% back-wages.

Being aggrieved by the Award, the petitioner/employer has filed the present petition before Madhya Pradesh High Court.

MP High Court has said that respondent/employee shall be entitled for monetary compensation of Rs.5,00,000/-, which shall be paid by the petitioner/department within a period of six months.

Man Arrested for Cheating and Exploiting Female Bank Employee with False Promise of Marriage

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: The Chinhat police in Lucknow have arrested a man named Sumit Yadav on charges of sexually exploiting a woman who worked in a bank in Gosainganj, Lucknow. He allegedly cheated her by pretending to be in love and promising marriage. The name of female bank employee and her bank details have not been revealed due to privacy concerns.

The victim, a woman from Sultanpur, has been working in bank since 2020. During this time, she met Sumit Yadav, who was her colleague at the bank. First, Sumit became friendly with her. Over time, he pretended to love her and promised that he would marry her. Trusting him, the woman moved in with him. He rented a room in the Chinhat area of Lucknow, and the two started living together like a married couple.

While they were living together, Sumit repeatedly took advantage of her trust and physically exploited her. She said that whenever she brought up the topic of marriage, Sumit delayed or avoided the conversation. Eventually, the woman became pregnant and later gave birth to a baby boy.

On February 25, Sumit told her that his mother was unwell, and he had to go to his village in Ghazipur. After he left, he switched off his phone and cut off all contact with her.

Feeling betrayed and abandoned, the woman filed a police complaint in April at the Gosainganj police station, accusing Sumit of sexual exploitation and false promises of marriage.

During the investigation, it was found that most of the incident had taken place in the Chinhat area, so the case was transferred to the Chinhat police station.

After tracking him for some time, police discovered that Sumit was living in a rented house in Ranikheda, in the Mohanlalganj area of Lucknow. On Saturday, the Chinhat police arrested him from there.

List of priority tasks to be done without Delay

In light of the recent air accident in Ahmedabad, here is a list of urgent priority tasks to be done without delay:

1. Do not delay in making a Will. Nomination is not allowed for immovable properties like houses, land, plots, or shops. Hence, preparing a Will is essential.

2. For KVP, NSC, Time Deposit, MIS, RD, and SB accounts, accounts can be opened jointly with up to 3 names. Take advantage of this facility.

3. Senior Citizen Savings Accounts can only be opened jointly by husband and wife. However, up to 4 individuals can be nominated in such accounts, so keep that in mind.

4. In a PPF account, only one name is allowed as account holder. So, make sure to do proper nomination. Since this is a long-term investment, keep checking whether the nominee is still alive. If the nominee is very elderly or you feel the need, you can add or change the nominee at any time.

5. Interest on NSS 87 accounts has been discontinued from 1st October 2024. Also, the withdrawal amount is now fully tax-free. Therefore, withdrawing this amount would be advisable.

6. You can nominate up to four individuals as nominees. Make use of this provision.

7. If any of the nominees passes away, you can immediately nominate someone else in their place.

8. You can change nominees at any time and as many times as needed. No fees are required for such changes.

9. Keep your Chartered Accountant, LIC Agent, Mutual Fund Agent, or Financial Advisor, as well as close family members, informed about your investments, properties, and insurance policies.

10. Secure your family's future.

Updation of Basic Pension

Rs.24 Lakh Loan Scam: Senior Citizen Cheated of Rs.24 Lakh, Bank Officials Booked

The Powai police have registered a case against senior officials of Bharat Co-operative Bank and a private individual for allegedly cheating a 61-year-old woman and fraudulently transferring a loan amount of ₹24 lakh that was approved in her name.

According to the police, the people involved in the scam include Vidyanand Karkera (Managing Director and CEO of the bank), Dinesh Salian (Joint Managing Director), Sandhya Kotian (former Branch Manager at Mulund West), and Naveen Shetty, a private agent.

The victim, Subhlaxmi Shetty, is a homemaker from Powai, Mumbai. She lost her husband to cancer in 2012. Her husband had been running two hospitals — one in Bhandup West and the other in Mulund West. After his death, Subhlaxmi rented out the Bhandup hospital and started managing the Mulund facility herself.

In 2019, Subhlaxmi was trying to arrange funds for her son’s higher education in the medical field. A relative introduced her to Naveen Shetty, claiming he had contacts in banks and could help with loan processing. After meeting him, Shetty managed to get an education loan of ₹87.30 lakh from Axis Bank. From this loan, she transferred ₹40 lakh to Bharat Co-operative Bank’s Bhandup West branch.

Later, as she needed more money for her son’s studies, Naveen suggested that Bharat Co-operative Bank could give her a loan if she made a fixed deposit of ₹40 lakh. Trusting him, she agreed. Naveen then took her to the Mulund West branch, where they met bank manager Sandhya Kotian. According to Shetty, the manager asked her to sign several documents, claiming it was part of the loan process.

Subhlaxmi made a fixed deposit of ₹40 lakh, after which Kotian and Naveen asked her to sign a blank withdrawal slip. A few days later, she received a message that ₹24 lakh had been credited to her account — but to her shock, the amount was immediately transferred to Naveen Shetty’s account, without her permission.

When she questioned this, Kotian reportedly assured her that the money would be returned soon. But instead of taking action, the manager kept giving excuses. Naveen also started avoiding her. During the Covid period, Kotian was transferred to another branch, and Subhlaxmi said that she repeatedly wrote letters to various senior officials and directors of the bank requesting help and asking them to return her money.

Despite several follow-ups, she received no proper response. Frustrated and feeling helpless, Subhlaxmi finally decided to approach the police. After conducting a preliminary investigation, the Powai police registered an FIR on June 14.

The case has been filed under charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and dishonest misappropriation of property. The police are now investigating how the loan amount was fraudulently transferred and whether more people were involved in this scam.

What’s happening in Kotak Mahindra Bank?

What’s happening in Kotak Mahindra Bank?

Bank Workers Unity 

The fourth largest private sector bank viz. Kotak Mahindra Bank is in the news, recently, for all the wrong reasons.

It is an institution which is always in the good books of the Union Government.   In March 2017, Kotak Mahindra Bank launched an online digital savings account called Kotak 811, the number denoting the date on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation in 2016, which according to Uday Kotak was “the day that changed India”.  Uday Kotak is the promoter and single largest shareholder of Kotak Mahindra Bank, with a 25.71 percent stake.  The Mumbai based Infina Finance promoted by the Bank donated electoral bonds worth Rs.60 crore to the BJP in three years from 2019 to 2021.  In 2018 the Bank dragged the RBI to Bombay High Court on the issue of shareholding of the promoter which ended in 2020 with the RBI yielding to the pressure and allowing the promoter to hold 26 percent of shares (to own a higher stake than what the regulator had stipulated earlier), but had voting rights capped at 15%. 

Presently, the RBI, on April 24, 2024 has prohibited the Bank from on boarding new customers through its online and mobile banking channels and issuing fresh credit cards, citing supervisory concerns.  According to the regulator, serious deficiencies and non-compliance were observed in various areas, including IT inventory management, patch and change management, user access management, vendor risk management, data security, data leak prevention strategy, business continuity, disaster recovery rigor and drill.  For two consecutive years the Bank was assessed to be deficient in its IT Risk and Information Security Governance and was found to be non-compliant with Corrective Action Plans issued by the RBI.  The compliance submitted by the Bank were found to be either inadequate, incorrect or not sustained.

The stricture of the RBI on the Bank would result in the inability of the lender to on-board new customers through its online and mobile banking channels and could severely impact the new retail customer additions for the bank, given its smaller branch network compared to peers and higher reliance on digital channels. 

The Bank’s overdependence on digital channels for on boarding new customers gets seriously affected due to the RBI’s stricture with its Kotak 811 zero balance digital savings accounts unable to add new customers.

All is not well within private banks which are known for their flamboyancy and adventurism.  Four years earlier Yes Bank, the new generation private bank, was on the verge of collapse and it was the SBI under advice from the RBI steadied the Bank with adequate investments and quality man power.  There are many such instances like the present one in Kotak Mahindra Bank which are overcome with the timely intervention and correction by the RBI and Public Sector Banks and, some people of India, advocate privatisation, oblivious to the ills of privatisation.

10 Common Tricks Used by Scammers: Beware and Stay Safe*

*All scams summarised and shown below. Stay alert.*

*10 Common Tricks Used by Scammers: Beware and Stay Safe*

Scammers target people of all ages, but middle-aged and elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable. Be cautious and aware of these common tricks:

1. *TRAI Phone Scam*: Fraudsters claim to be from TRAI, stating your mobile number is linked to illegal activities, and services will be suspended.

    - Reality: TRAI doesn't suspend services; telecom companies do.

2. *Parcel Stuck at Customs*: Scammers claim a parcel with contraband has been intercepted and demand payment.

    - Action: Disconnect and report the number.

3. *Digital Arrest*: Fake police officers threaten digital arrest or online interrogation.

    - Reality: Police don't conduct digital arrests or online interrogations.

4. *Family Member Arrested*: Scammers claim a relative will be arrested and demand payment.

    - Action: Verify with family members before taking action.

5. *Get Rich Quick Trading*: Social media ads promise high returns on stock investments.

    - Reality: High-return schemes are likely scams.

6. *Easy Tasks for Big Rewards*: Scammers offer high sums for simple tasks, then ask for investment.

    - Reality: Easy money schemes are scams.

7. *Credit Card Issued in Your Name*: Fake executives confirm large transactions on bogus credit cards.

    - Action: Check with your bank.

8. *Mistaken Money Transfer*: Scammers claim incorrect transactions and ask for refunds.

    - Action: Verify transactions with your bank.

9. *KYC Expired*: Scammers ask for KYC updates via links.

    - Reality: Banks require in-person KYC updates.

10. *Generous Tax Refund*: Fraudsters pose as tax officials, asking for bank details.

    - Reality: Tax departments already have bank details and communicate directly.

*Stay Safe:*

1. Verify information before acting.

2. Don't click suspicious links.

3. Confirm transactions with banks.

4. Report suspicious calls/numbers.

5. Be cautious of high-return schemes.

6. Update KYC in-person.

7. Don't share personal/bank details.

*Report Scams:*

1. National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000)

2. Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in)

3. Local Police Station

Stay informed, stay vigilant!

Issued in public interest!!

People protest outside HDFC Bank in Amritsar Punjab, Money Withdrawn from FD of Customers

People of Valmiki community and others protested strongly against the bank staff outside HDFC Bank located at Majitha Road Bypass in Amritsar, Punjab. The protesters allege that an employee working in the bank has cheated innocent people of lakhs of rupees in the name of FD (Fixed Deposit).

During the protest, people told that the said employee took money from many people in the name of opening FDs, but later he himself broke those FD accounts and transferred the money to the accounts of his acquaintances. The victims say that they were making rounds of the bank for many days regarding this matter, but when no hearing took place, a protest was organized along with the leaders of the society.

The protesting people say that they will now fight for justice and want strict action against the guilty employee.

Police officials confirmed that a case of fraud by a bank employee has come to light. According to SHO Kamboh Satnam Singh, the bank manager has also been talked to and the amount is currently being put back in the accounts from which the money was withdrawn. Those who have not received the money will soon get it in their accounts. Also, legal action has been initiated against the accused employee.

Ex gratia payment for family Pension

EXPECTED DA FROM AUGUST 2025 FOR BANKER MAY BE INCREASE MINIMUM 12 SLAB AND MAXIMUM 16 SLAB

Expected DA Calculation Updated on 30.05.25 on the basis of CPI for the month of Apr'25 with the assumptions of CPI for May'25 & June'25. The CPI for the month of Apr'25 announced today as 143.50 with an increase of 0.50 points from Mar'25. (as per revised base year 2016) (The base year was changed from Oct 2020)

1. On assumptions if there is an increase in CPI index by 0.50 points & 0.40 points in the month of May'25 & Jun'25 respectively (However other than vegitables in this month the prices are rising regularly of commonly required daily needs / items and commodities which is making month over month difficult to manage family budget). Accordingly, on this assumption, we may expect there would be an increase of 0.97% DA in terms of 12^th BPS on revised pay. Total 20.94% DA will become payable from Aug'25.
2. On assumptions if there is an increase in CPI index by 0.40 points & 0.30 points in the month of May'25 & Jun'25 respectively , we may expect there would be be an increase of 0.87% DA in terms of 12^th BPS on revised pay. Total 20.84 percentage of DA will become payable from Aug'25.
3. On assumptions if there is an increase in CPI index by 0.25 points & 0.20 points in the month of May'25 & Jun'25 respectively , we may expect there would be be an increase of 0.73% DA in terms of 12^th BPS on revised pay. Total 20.70 percentage of DA will become payable from Aug'25.

13th Pension Adalat: Addressing 417 Family Pension Grievances Across 19 Departments in New Delhi

 

13th Pension Adalat: Addressing 417 Family Pension Grievances Across 19 Departments in New Delhi

Success stories of the 415 long pending family pension grievances taken up for redressal

Committed to ensure faster resolution of grievances and enhance dignity and financial security for the Family Pensioners\

Launching the 13th Pension Adalat at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 04.06.2025, Dr. Jitendra Singh lauded the initiative of conducting the Pension Adalats for its ‘whole of government approach’ by bringing together all the concerned departments on one platform for expeditious and effective resolution of grievances. He highlighted that the initiative has not only expedited grievance redressal but also reinforced the government’s commitment to pensioners as active contributors to society.

415 grievances related to family pension matters pertaining to 19 Departments/Ministries belonging to the Departments under Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Finance, Commerce, CAG, Railways, Housing & Urban Affairs, Civil Aviation, External Affairs etc. were taken up in the Adalat for redressal out of which 325 grievances were resolved on the spot underscoring the efficiency of this initiative in delivering timely justice to pensioners.

 There were many heart-warming success stories which came out of the Adalat held on 04.06.2025. Excerpts of the cases are mentioned below to appreciate the struggles experienced by the Pensioners and how the mechanism of Pension Adalat enabled them to get their long-pending rightful dues.

Smt Bhanwar Kanwar

Smt Bhanwar Kanwar who belongs to Rajasthan was widow of Naik Bajrang Singh. She was entitled for family pension arrears from July 2014 to August 2024 with a delay of almost 10 years. Rs. 2,49,964/- was already paid to her but a balance amount of ₹1,29,088/- was pending. It was assured by the officers of CGDA and PCDA present in the Adalat that after reconciliation, the balance payment will be paid by 10.06.2025.

Smt Geeta Devi

Smt Geeta Devi’s husband had expired while performing military duties on 11.06.2019 and she was not granted ex- gratia lump sum amount till date. She belongs to Delhi. It was apprised by the CGDA and PCDA officers present in the Adalat that the documents have been processed for release of ex gratia lump sum amount and as per the latest SPARSH data, Ex-gratia has been granted and notified vide Corr PPO no. 7 dated 14.05.2025 and arrears amounting Rs.25,00,000/- will be paid within a week.

Smt Yashoda Devi

Smt Yashoda Devi is a resident of Uttar Pradesh. Her case was that of non-payment of arrears of pension/ family pension and other retirement benefits. She was facing a lot of financial difficulties. It was informed in the Adalat by PCDA and CGDA officers present that her case has been resolved and arrears amounting to Rs.9,77,742/- have been paid on 16-May-2025.

Smt Sadhna Devi

Smt Sadhna Devi, resident of Uttar Pradesh, was wife of late CT/GD Kamlesh Bharti. She had not been receiving the entitled Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) of ₹1000 per month for the last 16 years. Despite multiple letters since 2022 to various administrative authorities, no sanction or payment of the medical allowance or arrears was received. She was facing financial hardship in supporting four children. The officers from CRPF HQ apprised the Adalat that Rs. 1,29,622/- in respect of FMA for the period 2009-2025 has now been paid to her account.

Smt Rajmati

Case of Smt. Rajmati who belongs to Uttar Pradesh was that she was entitled for payment of arrears dated 01/07/2019 to 30/06/2024on account of OROP II. Despite sending all the relevant documents, there was considerable delay in processing of the payment. The officers of CGDA and PCDA apprised the Adalat that her case has been resolved and arrears of Rs. 4,80,780/- has been paid on 16.05.2025.

Rs.2000 Notes worth Rs.6,181 crore still with Public: RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has shared the latest update on the withdrawal of ₹2000 denomination banknotes, revealing that nearly all of them have been returned to the banking system.

Back in May 2023, the RBI announced its decision to withdraw ₹2000 notes from circulation through a press release dated May 19, 2023. This high-value note, which was introduced in 2016 following demonetization, was being gradually phased out. The RBI has since been publishing regular updates on the status of this withdrawal, with the most recent update released on May 2, 2025.

Deposit and Exchange Timelines

Initially, the public was allowed to deposit or exchange ₹2000 notes at any bank branch in the country. This facility was available up until October 7, 2023.

After that, starting October 9, 2023, people could still exchange the notes, but only at the 19 designated Issue Offices of the RBI. Moreover, to make the process easier, the RBI allowed individuals and entities to send ₹2000 notes via India Post from any post office across the country to these Issue Offices. The amount would then be credited directly to their bank accounts.

How Many Notes Are Left?

When the withdrawal was first announced on May 19, 2023, ₹2000 notes worth ₹3.56 lakh crore were in circulation. As of May 31, 2025, that number has dropped drastically to just ₹6,181 crore. This means that 98.26% of the ₹2000 notes have already been returned to the banking system.

Are ₹2000 Notes Still Legal?

Yes. Despite the withdrawal from circulation, the RBI has confirmed that ₹2000 notes remain legal tender. This means they can still be used for transactions, even though they are being actively phased out.

Fraud Gang Busted in Churu for Opening Fake Bank Accounts Using Government Scheme Scam

A major fraud case has come to light in Churu, Rajasthan, where a gang was found to be running an illegal operation by opening fake bank accounts in the names of ordinary people. They lured people by promising them benefits from government schemes. Once these accounts were created, the gang used them to carry out illegal transactions linked to online gaming and betting.

The Kotwali police station has registered a case against six named individuals and several others involved in this scam. According to the police, the gang may have opened hundreds of fake bank accounts, and the total illegal transactions could run into crores of rupees.

What the Police Found

Sukhram Chotiya, officer-in-charge at Kotwali police station, confirmed that a case has been registered against:

• Sanjay Kumar Saini
• Javed Khan
• Gopal Swami
• Karan Saini
• Kishore Saini
• Ayan alias Jajan alias Monu Dulekhani

These people, along with others, were reportedly operating this fraud network from Churu and Jaipur.

The scam was discovered when Head Constable Subhash Chandra received a tip-off from an informer. The informer told him that many people were being tricked with false promises of government scheme benefits. In return, these people unknowingly allowed their personal documents to be used for opening bank accounts and getting new SIM cards.

During the initial investigation, police found that:

• New SIM cards were issued in the names of innocent people.
• Bank accounts were opened using their identities.
• The gang took full control of the accounts including ATM cards, internet banking, and UPI access.

These accounts were then used to transfer money related to illegal online gaming and betting activities.

How the Scam Worked

The gang approached people, especially those from weaker financial backgrounds, and convinced them they would receive money from government welfare schemes. In exchange, they took documents like Aadhaar cards and used them to:

• Open multiple bank accounts,
• Get mobile connections,
• Take control of digital banking services linked to those accounts.

Legal Action Taken

The case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. Police are continuing the investigation and believe the entire network will be busted soon.

Conclusion

This case highlights how cybercriminals are targeting innocent people by misusing their identity under the pretext of government benefits. If you or someone you know is approached with such offers, it’s important to verify before sharing any personal documents