Rs 100 crore in guard’s account, SP MLA cries bid to sully image
LUCKNOW: It came as a shock of a lifetime for Ghulam Jilani, the bodyguard of Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki, when he went to the State Bank of India main branch ATM in Kanpur to withdraw money on Tuesday night.
After he withdrew Rs 4,000, he was shocked to see a balance of around Rs 100 crore in his account. Jilani immediately brought it to Solanki’s notice.
The bodyguard, who had only Rs 73,000 in his account, said, “I was nervous. I did not know how I will explain this amount in my account. I am just a constable with the Uttar Pradesh police,” said Jilani.
Jilani immediately informed Solanki who, in turn, brought the matter to the notice of the senior district authorities. Solanki, the Samajwadi Party MLA from Seesamau in Kanpur, however, called it a conspiracy by his rivals to malign his image by getting the money credited in his bodyguard’s account.
However, when contacted, SBI officials were of the view that the Jilani’s account had been credited with `99,99,02,724 as a result of a software error. A probe has been initiated. Now that his bank account has been seized, Jilani will not be able to withdraw money from it for the time being.
“The poor man was obviously shocked as he did not make that transaction. I immediately contacted District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma,” said Solanki. “I requested the district magistrate to look into the matter as it could be a tactic by my rivals to tarnish my public image.”
After receiving the bodygaurd’s complaint regarding the money transfer, the district magistrate said, “The Seesamau MLA’s bodyguard had submitted an application and we have approached SBI officials to look into the matter and initiate necessary action in this regard.”