MYSURU: A heated argument over misappropriation of funds in a few cooperative societies and tussle over relieving of the Mysuru DCC Bank managing director ended with a former president of the bank allegedly slapping Congress MLA Narendra at a meeting recently.
The bank’s directors, including acting president Mahadevappa, intervened to ensure that the incident did not turn uglier. According to sources, Narendra had opposed the transfer of secretaries of a few cooperative societies and wanted current managing director of the bank Linganaiah to be relieved of his charge.
However, bank directors Harish Gowda and C Basave Gowda referred to procedural lapses in a few societies and drawing of money in crores. They said the secretaries are transferred based on prima facie evidence that they had “colluded” with bank manager Ramappa Pujar serving at Hunsur and Bilikere. If found innocent, they can be posted in their old places again, they said.
Basave Gowda, a former president of the bank, insisted that they respect the government order. It is alleged that in the meele, Basave Gowda slapped Narendra when the latter caught hold of his shirt.When contacted, Narendra said Basave Gowda pushed him and “tried to assault him” and other directors of the bank came to his rescue. But Basave Gowda denied having assaulted Narendra at the meeting. He said Narendra lost his cool and came to pull him by his collar. “When I pushed him, he claimed I hit him only to gain sympathy”, he said.