Left, Trinamool attack centre over Bengal's ATM frauds

Kolkata: West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition Left Front on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Centre for the serial fraudulent withdrawals from the bank accounts of customers in the state, and alleged that its policy of linking Aadhaar to all documents had compromised people's personal data.

"After the Aadhaar linking and all, bank deposits are not longer safe. The incompetent NDA government is responsible for these frauds being committed on bank depositors.

"(West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee had apprehensions about all these. That's the reason she opposed linking of Aadhaar. She still opposes it," said state Urban Development Minister and senior Trinamool leader Firhad Hakim.

He targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the fraudulent ATM withdrawals.

"The money of bank depositors in Kolkata are being fraudulently withdrawn in Delhi, UP. The central government as a whiole, and the Union Home Minister in particular, have to take the blame for this," said Hakim.

Left Front legislature party leader Sujon Chakraborty said it was a serious matter that "bank deposits were no longer safe and money is being fraudulently withdrawn from accounts in Kolkata and other parts of the state".

"Miscreants in Delhi and UP are committing the crime. The Centre is talking of linking Aadhaar. Everywhere this is being done. But the data of the people is not being protected. Things are becoming public. Banking system is crumbling," he said.

Over 50 complaints of fraudulent withdrawals from bank accounts were received in two days in two city police station areas. The crime was reported from other Bengal districts as well, a senior police officer said here on Tuesday.