MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a money laundering case and carried out searches at the residence of the bank’s founder Rana Kapoor, officials said. The central financial probe agency also issued a look out circular against Kapoor, so that he does not leaves the country.
A senior ED official told IANS, “Yes, the agency registered a case of money laundering in the Yes Bank matter.” Confirming the searches carried out at Kapoor’s residence in Mumbai by the central financial probe agency, the official said, “Yes, the searches started late in the evening at his residence.”
Another ED official, also related to the probe said the agency has issued LOC against Kapoor, so that the does not leaves the country. The copy of the LOC has been sent to the airport’s with details of his passport. The ED’s action comes a day after the RBI superseded the Yes Bank board for 30 days and appointed an administrator, putting a cap of Rs 50,000 on withdrawal by account holders for a month.
The RBI said that the bank’s board was superseded “owing to serious deterioration in the financial position of the bank”. Former SBI CFO Prashant Kumar was appointed as administrator of Yes Bank. Yes Bank has over 1,000 branches and 1,800-plus ATMs across the country which are under severe stress after the crisis erupted last night.
Earlier in the day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the bank was put under watch since 2017 and developments relating to it were being monitored on a day-to-day basis. “Since 2017, the central bank noticed governance issues and weak regulatory compliance at Yes Bank, besides wrong asset classification and risky credit decisions,” the Finance Minister said.
The bank took many risky credit decisions, and the RBI had advised change in management, she said, adding such decisions were taken in the interest of the bank’s health. A new CEO was appointed in September 2018 and clean up of the bank started and the investigative agencies too found irregularities, she said. Sitharaman said the RBI has been asked to assess the causes of problems and identify the role played by individuals.
The restructuring scheme will be fully effective within 30 days, she said, adding that the State Bank of India has expressed willingness to invest in Yes Bank. Kapoor was present at his Samudramahal residence when the searches were conducted, the official said.
ED officials also questioned Kapoor about financial dealings and properties. Kapoor’s role in the disbursal of loan to a corporate entity and kickbacks allegedly received in her wife’s bank account are also being probed. IANS
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