UP mantri changes cash at bank after 7pm, sparks row

RAMPUR: A video showing Uttar Pradesh minister Iqbal Mehmood being hosted by the manager of a private bank in Sambhal -after the branch had reportedly been closed for public dealing -has triggered uproar on social media.
According to sources, the state minister for food and drug administration and his two sons were allowed in by the bank's manager at 7pm on Wednesday , though the bank was said to have closed for the public at 6pm. It has been alleged that the minister was “made comfortable“ in the manager's cabin, while the notes he brought were exchanged.

The five-time MLA from Sambhal, however, defended himself, saying he had stood with others in the queue before he went inside the bank. “I don't know what this hue and cry is all about. I came to the bank like everyone else, stood in the queue, and only then en tered the bank. Yes, I did sit with the bank manager for some time, but then got the currency notes exchanged after producing my own and my sons' valid ID papers,“ he said.

The branch manager, Javed Khan, said, “On Wednesday , we had run out of currency notes quite early , so the exchange was suspended for a few hours. Soon after cash arrived at 4.30pm, we re sumed the process and because of that we continued working late, which is quite regular these days.“

“As far as the minister is concerned, he came around 7pm and stayed here for 20 minutes. We got his and his two sons' currency notes exchanged after they submitted valid IDs. I don't think any protocol was breached in the process,“ he added.