Agartala, Jul 23 (PTI) In a significant step towards delivering justice to the victims of financial fraud, the Tripura government has officially launched a scheme to return the deposits to individuals who were duped by chit fund companies.
The scheme was notified in the state government gazette and presented before the High Court of Tripura during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) on Tuesday.
Responding to earlier directives from the High Court, the state government formulated the scheme to restore and distribute the recovered money to affected depositors.
According to an affidavit submitted by the government, over Rs 10.78 crore has been collected so far through auctions of properties seized from the accused chit fund companies.
During the court proceedings, the amicus curiae, Purusottam Roy Burman urged the government to publish details of the scheme in local newspapers, including editions in Bengali and Kokborok, the language of the indigenous communities in the state.
Acknowledging the importance of public awareness, Advocate General Shaktimoy Chakraborty confirmed that the government is prepared to publicise the scheme through newspapers.
Taking note of the request, the division bench comprising Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice M B Purakayastha ordered the state government to publish all essential information related to the scheme in four prominent local newspapers, including a leading vernacular daily.
Providing further clarity on the process, another amicus curiae, advocate Samarjit Bhattacharya, informed the court that the affected individuals will need to submit their applications to their respective sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs), along with essential documents such as Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, and other relevant proof of investment.
In the event of a depositor’s death, legal heirs can claim the refund by submitting the death certificate, Aadhaar and PAN cards, along with the relevant banking details and supporting documents.
The next hearing will be on August 8.
Meanwhile, several victims have appealed to the state to identify and auction the remaining properties of defaulting chit fund companies toensure full repayment to all affected consumers.
This initiative marks a crucial development in Tripura’s ongoing efforts to combat financial fraud and secure justice for thousands of duped depositors, Roy Burman said. PTI JOY SBN SBN
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