Sahara India depositors turn heat on Bhubaneswar Zonal office over faltering repayment

Over a thousand of depositors of Sahara India gathered in Bhubaneswar on Thursday under the aegis of ‘Sahara Depositors’ Front’ and gheraoed the Zonal office of the chit fund company here in the city demanding repayment of their matured money.

The bustling market area of Saheed Nagar in the smart city which houses the Zonal office of Sahara India looked tensed today as the protesters turned out in huge numbers and demanded to meet the officials of the company.

As per their allegations, the company has failed to repay the money deposited in 2021 even after attaining maturity in 2020 leading to much inconvenience of the depositors who waited for maturity to spend the money on education and marriage in their families.

Speaking to reporters, the Convenor of Sahara Depositors’ Front, Jayant Das said, “The company is denying us our money which have matured since 2020. What is more distressing is the fact that, the Police are not keeping our complaints against the company.”

“The Police and Sahara India are hand in gloves. The company has duped almost 20 lakh depositors in Odisha to the tune of Rs 30000 Crore. When we try to lodge FIRs against them, the Police never entertain us,” Das alleged.

Following the protest, Sahara India’s Chief Financial Officer in the Bhubaneswar Zonal Office, Pankaj Patnaik reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. Speaking to the reporters, Patnaik said, “I am here to collect the memorandum of the protesters and forward it to the concerned authorities. I cannot assure them of any refund of money on my own.”

“The officials are out of station and nobody is currently at the office. I was instructed to collect their grievances and that is why I am here,” Patnaik added.