Circular No. 36/ Dated: 24 th April, 2013

Transcription

1 Association of Officers of UCO Bank (Registered under the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926) Affiliated to All India UCO Bank Officers Federation, an affiliate unit of AIBOC) Regd. Office: UCO Bank, 10, B. T. M. Sarani, Kolkata Mailing Address: 2, India Exchange Place, Room 11&12-1 st Floor Kolkata TEL: aoucb_wb@yahoo.co.in Circular No. 36/ Dated: 24 th April, 2013 TO ALL MEMBERS Sub: Non-Revocation of Punitive Suspensions of Innocent Officers of Circus Avenue & Hastings Branch who were not involved in recent RTGS Frauds at Kolkata : Organizational Action Programme. You are aware that recent RTGS frauds at Kolkata virtually stirred the entire nation and attracted the attention of Media. The incidences of frauds received widespread publicity. It is very unfortunate that two of our branches viz. Circus Avenue and Hastings figured among the list of Bank Branches through which fraudulent transactions took place and money was siphoned. As soon as frauds at above-named branches were detected, Bank immediately placed under suspension all staff members of Circus Avenue branch and four officers of Hastings branch without examining whether they were involved in the frauds or not. Both the CBI and Kolkata Police plunged into action and reportedly arrested some fraudsters including outsiders and two officers of our Circus Avenue branch and one workmen of Hastings branch. Till now the Police, even after expiry of more than a month, did not call any officer of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch other than those arrested for interrogation excepting the Manager of Hastings branch who was called once for routine investigation. As Bank suspended all officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch including innocent officers who were not involved in frauds, we had taken up the matter at our level for revocation of their suspensions. Simultaneously, we referred the matter to our Federation for their intervention. Federation addressed a letter No.Mg/32/ dated to the Chairman & Managing Director on the subject. A copy of the said letter is enclosed for your perusal. Com. Soumen Roy Choudhury, President of our Association and General Secretary of our Federation along with the undersigned and Com. D N Thakur, Joint General Secretary of our Association & Federation met Top Management and all tiers of Management for revocation of suspensions of innocent officers. We repeatedly pleaded before the Management that any procedural lapses on the part of officers may be taken care of during RDA; but, punitive suspensions should be revoked. Page 1 of 3

2 Meanwhile, it is reported that the matter was placed before Bank s Board of Directors. The department reportedly fixed involvement of two officers of Circus Avenue Branch and one Workmen staff of Hastings branch in the frauds and consequently, Board directed for revocation of suspensions of officers who were not involved in the frauds. Com. D N Thakur, our Federation s nominee on the Board played a very pivotal role to facilitate Board to take such a decision. We all expected that the Disciplinary Authority would take necessary steps for immediate revocation of suspensions of all officers and workmen staff other than two officers and workmen staff whose names were reportedly placed before the Board. But, unfortunately, the events started happening otherwise. There appeared to be motivated efforts on the part of few senior executives and Zonal Manager, Kolkata to continue punitive suspensions of innocent officers irrespective of the facts that they were not involved in frauds. We understand that Bank s Suspension Review Committee met on April 20, 2013 and revoked suspension of one officer and five workmen staff of Circus Avenue branch. Suspensions of one officer and two workmen staff of Circus Avenue branch and four officers of Hastings branch were not revoked. The revocation of suspensions of officers of Hastings branch was not even placed before the Committee. Under this backdrop, Executive Committee of our Association met on April 21, 2013 and the matter was discussed threadbare. The non-revocation of suspensions of officers who were not involved in frauds vis-à-vis role-play of Zonal Manager, Kolkata, General Manager, Inspection & Audit and Circle General Manager, Kolkata invited sharp reaction from members. The Committee decided that Association shall launch the following Organizational Action Programme till suspensions of innocent officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch are revoked. Submission of Memorandum in deputations to General Manager & Circle Head, Kolkata and also to all Zonal Managers of West Bengal. All officers working at Zonal Office, Kolkata shall stick to work-to-rule from April 22, 2013 onwards. Telegrams/ s to be sent by members from all branches and offices to the Chairman & Managing Director, Executive Director-1 & 2 and Circle Head, Kolkata. In case, punitive suspensions of officers who were not involved in frauds are revoked within a week time, officers of all other Zonal Offices in West Bengal shall also stick to rule from Page 2 of 3

3 Thereafter, agitation shall be further intensified depending on the decision of the Bank regarding revocation of suspensions of innocent officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch. We have already submitted Memorandum to General Manager & Circle Head, Kolkata as well as Zonal Manager, Kolkata vide our letter No.Mg/22/ dated A copy of the said Memorandum is enclosed for your information. Officers of Zonal Office, Kolkata have started observing work-to-rule since Regional Committees of Suri, Burdwan, Hooghly and Howrah shall submit Memorandum to their respective Zonal Managers within this week. Comrades, this is an unforeseen event in the history of our Association when Organization has launched Action Programme for revocation of suspensions of its members. We were forced to do so because very serious injustice in the form of punitive suspension is being meted to our members of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch when they were not involved in frauds. If any member suffers due to injustice, your Organization bleeds and it becomes bounden responsibility on the part of the Organization to leave no stone unturned to remove the injustice. The great poet Rabindranath Tagore said, The one who commits an injustice and the one who tolerates that without protest are equally guilty. Let God s wrath scourges both mercilessly. Your Association and Federation never stood as a spectator to any injustice meted to its members and this occasion of non-revocation of punitive suspensions of officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branches is no exception to it. We, therefore, urge upon our Comrades of West Bengal to rise to the occasion, feel the pains of our suspended Comrades of Circus Avenue and Hastings Branch who continued to remain suspended without being involved in frauds and meticulously follow directives of the Organization and make the Action Programme a grand success. We are confident that our dedicated and militant Comrades shall stand solidly and confidently beside their beloved Association as they have been doing so long and bring justice to our suffering Comrades. With warm greetings, Comradely yours, Dipankar Mitra General Secretary Encl.: As stated above. Page 3 of 3

4 Association of Officers of UCO Bank (Registered under the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926) Affiliated to All India UCO Bank Officers Federation, an affiliate unit of AIBOC) Regd. Office: UCO Bank, 10, B. T. M. Sarani, Kolkata Mailing Address: 2, India Exchange Place, Room 11&12-1 st Floor Kolkata TEL: aoucb_wb@yahoo.co.in Ref.: Mg/ 32 / April 05, 2013 The Chairman & Managing Director, UCO Bank, Head Office, 10, B T M Sarani, Kolkata Dear Sir, Sub: Request for immediate Revocation of Suspension of Officers who are not involved in recent RTGS Frauds Recently, two large value frauds aggregating to Rs.140 crore have been reported at B/o Circus Avenue, Kolkata and B/o Hastings, Kolkata through misuse of RTGS system. Immediately after the frauds were reported Bank placed under suspension all staff members of Circus Avenue branch and four officers and one clerical staff of Hastings branch. It is reported that both Kolkata Police and CBI are investigating the matter. The Senior Manager of Circus Avenue branch has been arrested by the Police. We do not find any reason behind suspension of officers and employees who are not connected with or involved in frauds. All suspended officers of Hastings branch and majority of suspended officers of Circus Avenue branch discharged their responsibility in terms of Bank s extant guidelines as contained in Bank s latest Master Circular No. CHO/DIT/9A/ dated on Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). We quote below relevant portion as contained in point no.5 of the Master Circular under reference: QUOTE RTGS In Straight Through Processing (STP) Environment The Bank had implemented Straight Through processing (STP) Real Time Gross Settlement (STP- RTGS) in Finacle (7.0.19) w.e.f I.e. Direct credit to Beneficiary s Customer account, based solely on CBS account number information. Details for handling Inward RTGS Transactions are explained below. Cases for Incoming Fate of Remittance Account Type Remittance Supported Beneficiary Account Beneficiary Account SB, CA, CC, Number belongs to Number of 14 digit gets OD Beneficiary IFSC Credited with Status P Action to be taken by, if any No action required, since account gets credited automatically. UNQUOTE Page 1 of 3

5 We understand that out of two, one RTGS transfer of crore dated in Circus Avenue branch and one RTGS transfer of Rs crore dated in Hastings branch were transferred through R-41 Menu (Customer Transaction) through which only customers of the Bank are eligible for Fund Transfer. You will observe from relevant portion of point no.5 of Master Circular as quoted above that when Beneficiary Account Number of 14 digits gets credited with Status P, no action required, since account gets credited automatically. Beneficiary Account Number of 14 digits got credited automatically with Status P in case of above two RTGS transfers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch. In terms of Bank s Master circular dated , no action was required by officials of our Circus Avenue and Hastings branch. We also like to draw your kind attention to relevant portion as contained in sub-point no. 5 under point no. 6 of Bank s Master Circular as referred above. QUOTE RTGS System Government Receipts.. In order to facilitate Government receipts through RTGS it has been decided that participants originating government transactions in RTGS can do so only when the receiving bank is in agreement with the sending bank to receive funds. In case it is bilaterally decided to undertake such a funds transfer in RTGS, banks have to use the inter-bank mode R42 for such transfers.. UNQUOTE The entire fund in question belongs to PSUs of Government of West Bengal where fraud took place due to misuse of RTGS system. Total funds of Rs crore should have been transferred through RTGS under R-42 Menu by the sending bank. But, out of two, one fund transfer dated through RTGS in Circus Avenue branch and one fund transfer dated through RTGS in Hastings branch were sent through R-41 Menu, which got credited automatically to the 14 digits account numbers with Status P. Transfer of Government Funds through R-41 Menu befooled the officials of our branches as they did not have any occasion to doubt that the funds did not belong to their account holders. It was the responsibility of the sending banks to transfer the above Government Funds through R-42 Menu. Moreover, the Master Circular under reference does not prescribe generation of system generated report for verification of account number with name of beneficiary. You will also observe from the Master Circular dated as referred in this letter that this Master Circular consolidates all the circulars issued so far on the subject from IT Department upto August 31, 2012 and this Master Circular supersedes all previous circulars/guidelines on Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) issued hitherto as mentioned therein. It is evident from the above that all officers of our Hastings branch and most of the officers of our Circus Avenue branch who were suspended in connection with Fund Transfer through RTGS dated and respectively were not involved with the frauds. They discharged their duties in accordance with Bank s guidelines as contained in Bank s Master Circular No. CHO/DIT/9A/ dated on Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Hence, their suspensions are absolutely unwarranted and unjust resulting in tremendous amount of financial, mental and social hardships to them. Page 2 of 3

6 In view of the above, we seek your immediate intervention in the matter and request you to kindly direct the department to take necessary steps for immediate revocation of suspensions of all officers of Hastings branch (277) and Circus Avenue branch (807) who are not involved in the RTGS frauds and who discharged their duties in accordance with Bank s guidelines as contained in Bank s Master Circular No. CHO/DIT/9A/ dated on Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Revocation of their suspensions would, therefore, meet the ends of justice. You may kindly note that we did not approach you earlier for revocation of suspensions of officers of Hastings and Circus Avenue branch as we desired Bank s investigation to conclude. We understand that Bank s investigation has been concluded. It is, therefore, highly undesirable and unwise to continue suspensions of officers of Circus avenue and Hastings branch who are not involved in the frauds and who discharged their duties in accordance with Bank s Circular. Yours faithfully, Sd/- S Roy Choudhury General Secretary Copy to: 1. Mr. N R Badrinarayanan, Executive Director, UCO Bank - for kind information. 2. Mr. S Chandrasekharan, Executive Director, UCO Bank - for kind information. 3. The General Manager, HRM & PSD, UCO Bank, HO, Kolkata 4. The General Manager, Audit & Inspection, UCO Bank, HO, Kolkata 5. The General Manager & Circle Head, UCO Bank, Kolkata 6. Com. J C Shandil, President, AIUCBOF 7. The General Secretary, AOUCB, West Bengal Page 3 of 3

7 Association of Officers of UCO Bank (Registered under the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926) Affiliated to All India UCO Bank Officers Federation, an affiliate unit of AIBOC) Regd. Office: UCO Bank, 10, B. T. M. Sarani, Kolkata Mailing Address: 2, India Exchange Place, Room 11&12-1 st Floor Kolkata TEL: aoucb_wb@yahoo.co.in Ref. Mg/22/ Kolkata General Manager & Circle Head Kolkata Head Office-2 Building 3 & 4 D D Block Salt Lake Kolkata Dear Sir, Sub: MEMORANDUM Kindly refer to our letter No.Mg/20/ dated on Organizational Action Programme of our Association as well as to the discussion we had when we staged a deputation before you on March 18, If you go through the letter, you would find that taking into consideration your request to withdraw our organizational action programme as you emphasized for our full-fledged co-operation to strengthen the system and procedure of Bank so that further frauds do not take place and the interest of the Bank and its officers are not put to jeopardy in view of recent RTGS Frauds, we decided to keep our organizational action in abeyance. In our letter under reference, we requested you to take necessary steps to revoke punitive suspensions of those officers who were not involved in frauds. Thereafter, we met you time and again and requested you to use your good offices to revoke punitive suspensions of officers who were not involved in frauds. On each occasion you assured us to take steps to revoke suspensions of innocent officers. Meanwhile, it is reported that the matter was placed before Bank s Board of Directors. The department reportedly fixed involvement of two officers of Circus Avenue Branch and one Workmen staff of Hastings branch in the frauds and consequently, Board directed for revocation of suspensions of officers who were not involved in the frauds. We all expected that the Disciplinary Authority would take necessary steps for immediate revocation of suspensions of all officers and workmen staff other than two officers and workmen staff whose names were reportedly placed before the Board. But, unfortunately, the events started happening otherwise. There appeared to be motivated efforts on the part of few senior executives and Zonal Manager, Kolkata to continue punitive suspensions of innocent officers irrespective of the facts that they were Page 1 of 3

8 not involved in frauds. We understand that Bank s Suspension Review Committee met on April 20, 2013 and revoked suspension of one officer and five workmen of Circus avenue branch. Suspensions of one officer and two workmen of Circus Avenue branch and four officers of Hastings branch were not revoked. The revocation of suspensions of officers of Hastings branch was not even placed before the Committee. When we came to know that the Zonal Manager, Kolkata did not recommend for revocation of suspension of Shri Nilanjan Roy of Circus Avenue branch, the undersigned met him on and explained to him that Shri Roy authorized only one entry on the day when the fraud was detected in the account of S A Enterprise, the fictitious account, at the instance of Shri S C Sharma, the then Zonal Manager, Kolkata in presence of Circle General Manager, Kolkata and General Manager, inspection & Audit when he transferred about Rs crores from the account of S A Enterprise to Pay Order account. It is no doubt a shameless action of Zonal Manager, Kolkata not to recommend revocation of suspension of Shri Roy inspite of knowing fully well that Shri Roy only acted at the instance of Zonal Manager, Kolkata in presence of Circle General Manager, Kolkata and General Manager, inspection & Audit to protect the interest of Bank only. This clearly reveals utter biasness and partisan anti-officer attitude of Zonal Manager, Kolkata. Regarding Hastings branch, we understand that two Executives deputed from Head Office to investigate the matter, one of whom being in the list of Officer with Doubtful Integrity causing huge loss to the Bank, submitted some ambiguous report. Their intention might be to protect their own interest first instead of finding the truth and submitting a correct report pinpointing involvement of staff members in the frauds. But it was expected that General Manager, Inspection and Circle General Manager would act more wisely and judiciously. Their role-play was not to blindly act on the biased reports of Investigation Officers. They should have examined the report meticulously and removed deficiencies and thereafter, issued necessary direction. If they had done so, there would not have been any ambiguity regarding involvement in staff members in frauds. Instead, they were interested not to apply their independent mind and give their views; and thus, they found it safe to consider the investigation reports as Sacrosanct. It is very unfortunate that inspite of direction of Bank s Board, Zonal Manager, Kolkata did not find time to place the revocation of suspensions of officers of Hastings branch before the Suspension Revocation Committee Meeting held on The department s report placed before Bank s Board reportedly revealed other than two officers of Circus Avenue branch and one workmen staff of Hastings branch, no other officer or workmen staff of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch were involved in the frauds and Board s direction was to revoke suspensions of officers and workmen who were nor involved in frauds. Moreover, the magnitude of recent RTGS frauds stirred the entire nation, caught the attention of media resulting in quick action by CBI and Kolkata Police. We understand that so far Police has reportedly arrested numbers of culprits including three staff members of our Bank. But, till now the Police, even after expiry of Page 2 of 3

9 more than a month, did not call any other officer of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch for interrogation other than Manager of Hastings branch who was called once for routine investigation. It is evident from the foregoing that attitude of section of Top Executives of Bank and Zonal Manager, Kolkata towards revocation of punitive suspension of officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings Branch is biased, partisan and motivated to keep them under suspension. This has created wide-spread repercussion and reaction among the Officer Community of the Bank not only in the State of West Bengal, but in the entire country. On the one hand, Bank is pleading not involved in the frauds and contemplating to file suits against PSUs of West Bengal Government. On the other hand, Bank prefers to keep its officers under suspension although they are not involved in frauds. Under this backdrop, Executive Committee of our Association met on April 21, 2013 and the matter was discussed threadbare. The non-revocation of suspensions of officers who were not involved in frauds vis-à-vis role-play of Zonal Manager, Kolkata, General Manager, Inspection & Audit and Circle General Manager, Kolkata invited sharp reaction from members. The Committee decided that Association shall launch the following Organizational Action Programme till suspensions of innocent officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch are revoked. All officers working at Zonal Office, Kolkata shall stick to work-to-rule from April 22, 2013 onwards. In case, punitive suspensions of officers who were not involved in frauds are revoked within a week time, officers of all other Zonal Offices in West Bengal shall also stick to rule from Thereafter, agitation shall be further intensified depending on the decision of the Bank regarding revocation of suspensions of innocent officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch. This is for your information and necessary action. Yours faithfully, Sd/- (Dipankar Mitra) General Secretary Copy to : General Secretary, All India UCO Bank Officers Federation : For his kind information and with a request to take up the matter with the Head Office for early revocation of suspensions of innocent officers of Circus Avenue and Hastings branch who were not involved in frauds. Page 3 of 3