Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 11 Mar: The ‘Arunachal Pradesh Apex Bank Deprived Customer Forum’ on Monday alleged that Chayang Tajo (E/Kameng) MLA Hayeng Mangfi has defaulted on loans he had availed from the Apex Bank in 2013.
Addressing mediaper-sons at the press club here, Hawa Bagang, a former AAPSU president who is in the fray to contest the assembly election from Chayang Tajo constituency, claimed that “the sitting legislator is yet to clear Rs 20,37,79,099, and another sum of Rs 10,03,60,765, along with the rate of interest and the principal amount, to the Itanagar branch of the Apex Bank.”
Bagang said that, based on information obtained through an RTI application, it is learnt that Mangfi, before he had been elected, had borrowed Rs 10,00,00,000 on 14 December, 2013, followed by borrowing Rs 7,00,00,000 on 18 June, 2016, from the bank.
“Mangfi has the record of taking loans of the highest value, and has not returned the amounts till date,” Bagang said.
He said that the case is being heard by the court in Yupia (P/Pare) and two hearings have been done this year. “However, the matter is yet to be settled,” said Bagang, and informed that the third hearing will take place on 12 April.
Bagang quoted Vigilance Department Managing Director Bittu Kri as saying that no no-objection certificate (NOC) has been issued to Mangfi. “But it is learnt that the manager of the Itanagar branch of the Apex Bank granted an NOC on 3 April, 2019,” Bagang said.
“Such incidences of defaulting on loans have ruined the hope of the people of the state,” he said, and questioned the bank’s authorities why they are delaying the matter of recovering the huge amount.
Bagang further said that a show cause notice had been issued to the MLA in November 2023.
“Mangfi, while taking the loan, had put a plot of land, measuring 1,50,000 sq metres, in Jollang, on 15 December, 2019 as collateral for the loan amounting to Rs 17 crore, but it is learnt that the certificate submitted by Mangfi was fake and he has no land in his name in Jollang,” Bagang claimed.
“This is the opportunity to return the money of the poor people, as the elections are round the corner,” Bagang said, adding that “the Public Demand Recovery Act should be implemented in this case.”
Responding to the allegation, Mangfi said that the amount mentioned was “a subsidy of one housing project, which could not be implemented due some circumstances.”
Clarifying that the amount was received from the bank “with certain agreements, which a group of my friends and I will repay the bank in part-wise manner,” Mangfi said that “there is no iota of truth as claimed by Bagang.”
“Since the matter is sub-judice in the court, third parties should refrain from interfering into the case,” he added.
He further said that “disbursement and receiving of the amount with the bank was made prior to my becaming the MLA; thus, there is no question of disqualifying or qualifying from contesting for the MLA seat.
“To seek permission from the bank to sell out the mortgaged land located in Jollang was the reason we could not repay the amount on time,” claimed Mangfi.
However, he said that he would accept the court’s direction, “which will be given on 12 April.”
