The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated September 18, 2023, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹6.00 lakh (Rupees Six lakh only) on Surat National Co-operative Bank Ltd., Surat, Gujarat (the bank) for contravention of directions issued by RBI on ‘Co-operative Banks - Interest Rate on Deposits’ and ‘Customer Protection - Limiting Liability of Customers of Co-operative Banks in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter alia, that the bank had (i) not paid interest on matured term deposits from the date of maturity till the date of their repayment at the applicable rate and (ii) not provided the facility to customers to respond by ‘Reply’ to the electronic banking transactions related SMSs and email alerts sent by the bank, for instantly reporting unauthorised transactions. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1141

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 18, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹2.00 lakh (Rupees Two lakh only) on Mahila Co-operative Nagrik Bank Ltd., Bharuch, Gujarat (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Placement of Deposits with Other Banks by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’ and ‘Know Your Customer (KYC)’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter alia, that the bank had (i) breached inter-bank gross and counterparty exposure limits, and (ii) not carried out review of risk categorization of accounts as per prescribed periodicity. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1140

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 18, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹2.00 lakh (Rupees Two lakh only) on Nagarik Sahakari Bank Ltd., Babra, Gujarat (the bank) for contravention of Section 26 A (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act) and RBI directions on ‘Loans and advances to directors, relatives, firms/concerns in which they are interested’, ‘Placement of Deposits with Other Banks by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’ and ‘Co-operative Banks - Interest Rate on Deposits’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the BR Act.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto, revealed, inter alia, that the bank (i) had not transferred eligible amount to Depositor Education and Awareness Fund, (ii) had sanctioned a credit facility to an individual where relative of one of the bank’s directors stood as guarantor, (iii) had breached the prudential inter-bank gross exposure limit, (iv) had breached the prudential inter-bank counterparty exposure limit, and (v) had not paid interest on matured unpaid term deposits for the period they remained unclaimed with the bank. In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the provisions of the BR Act and directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid provisions of the BR Act and RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1120

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 18, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹2.00 lakh (Rupees Two lakh only) on Makarpura Industrial Estate Co-operative Bank Ltd., Dist. Vadodara, Gujarat (the bank) for contravention of Section 26A (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act) and RBI directions on ‘Loans and advances to directors, relatives, firms/concerns in which they are interested’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the BR Act.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto, revealed, inter alia, that the bank had (i) not transferred eligible amount to Depositor Education and Awareness Fund, and (ii) sanctioned a loan wherein a relative of the director of the bank stood as guarantor. In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the provisions of the BR Act and directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid provisions of the BR Act and RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1119

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 18, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹50,000/- (Rupees Fifty thousand only) on The Sevalia Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd., Sevalia, dist. Kheda, Gujarat (the bank) for non-compliance of directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and Advances to directors, relatives and firms/concerns in which they are Interested’ read with ‘Loans and Advances to Directors etc. - Directors as surety/guarantors – Clarification’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter alia, that the bank had sanctioned a loan, wherein a relative of one of the bank’s directors stood as surety/guarantor. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1118

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 18, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹4.50 lakh (Rupees Four lakh Fifty thousand only) on Gujarat Mercantile Co-operative Bank Ltd., Ahmedabad, Gujarat (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Placement of Deposits with Other Banks by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’ and ‘Maintenance of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Inspection Report, Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto, revealed, inter alia, that the bank had (i) breached the prudential inter-bank gross exposure limit, (ii) breached the prudential inter-bank counterparty exposure limit, and (iii) not maintained minimum Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for certain days. In furtherance to the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1117

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 14, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹1.50 Lakh (Rupees One Lakh and Fifty Thousand only) on Vidyasagar Central Co-operative Bank Limited, Midnapore, West Bengal (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on “Housing Finance”. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers..

Background

The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by NABARD with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, inspection report pertaining thereto and examination of all related correspondence revealed, inter alia, that the bank had failed to comply with RBI directions limiting the quantum of housing loan that can be granted to an individual borrower by a District Central Co-operative Bank. Based on the same, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with the RBI directions, as stated therein.

After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, additional submissions and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the aforementioned charge of non-compliance with the RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty.

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2023-2024/1067

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 14, 2023 a monetary penalty of ₹1.00 Lakh (Rupees One Lakh only) on The Santragachi Co-operative Bank Ltd., West Bengal (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Exposure Norms and Statutory/Other Restrictions - UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated August 31, 2023, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.50 Lakh (Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand only) on The Karnavati Co-operative Bank Ltd., Ahmedabad, Gujarat (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and advances to directors, relatives and firms/concerns in which they are interested’ read with ‘Loans and advances to directors etc.- directors as surety/guarantors- Clarification’, and ‘Frauds in UCBs:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed, by an order dated September 01, 2023, a monetary penalty of ₹2.00 Lakh (Rupees Two Lakh only) on The Gandevi People’s Co-operative Bank Ltd., Navsari, Gujarat (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Placement of Deposits with Other Banks by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’ and ‘Frauds in UCBs: Changes in Monitoring and Reporting mechanism’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in the RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Sections 46 (4) (i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.