Hummingbird News Desk
MIDNAPORE, 20 APRIL: Loan defaults and allegations of financial irregularities continue to rock the political landscape in West Bengal, as yet another prominent Trinamul Congress (TMC) leader, Sheikh Sufian, comes under the spotlight. In a sensational turn of events, the vice-president of East Midnapore Zilla-parishad and one of the key figures in Nandigram politics has been issued a legal notice by Contai Cooperative Bank for failing to repay a loan taken for his distinctive ‘ship-like’ house. With accusations flying from both sides, and the ongoing controversy surrounding TMC leaders, this latest development has sparked widespread attention and speculations in Nandigram and beyond.
According to sources, Sheikh Sufian, who was an election agent of Mamata Banerjee, had taken a loan of Rs. 25 lakh from the bank in March 2020 to build a house, which was famously dubbed as “Sufian’s ship home” by opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari and BJP leaders due to its unique ship-like design. Sheikh Sufian had been paying installments towards the loan until February 2022, but failed to deposit any further payments for over a year, resulting in the bank taking action against him.
Further investigation revealed that Sheikh Sufian had also taken a loan from the same bank for purchasing a trawler for business purposes. However, he alleges that the bank did not deliver the trawler on time during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to financial difficulties and hindering his ability to repay the loan.
When approached for a comment, Sheikh Sufian stated that he has not received any notice from the Bank yet. But he intends to repay the loan for the house, despite the bank not granting his request for an interest waiver. He also accused the bank of defrauding him in the case of the trawler loan. However, the bank officials claim that they had attempted to resolve the issue through negotiations with Sheikh Sufian multiple times, but were unsuccessful, leading to the issuance of the notice.
The news of Sheikh Sufian’s loan default and the subsequent notice from the bank has caused a sensation in Nandigram, where he is a prominent TMC leader. The situation remains tense as Sheikh Sufian and the bank continue to exchange accusations.
Image Courtesy: INet
Tags: #Nandigram #SheikhSufian #ContaiCooperativeBank #LoanDefault
