The probe report by the Department of Cooperation on the functioning of Thiruvananthapuram District Farm Tour Co-operative society, headed by the BJP councillor K Anilkumar, who committed suicide due to mounting debts, had flagged massive disparity in assets and liabilities and showed that a major share of loans were disbursed to C-class members who were not eligible to avail loans. The report, which was tabled in the assembly on Monday, raised doubts about the dues piled up in deposit schemes. 

The department initiated the probe based on a complaint filed by Velappan Nair with the Thiruvananthapuram District Registrar. The Assistant Registrar (General), Thiruvananthapuram, probed the complaint and submitted a report which showed that high interest rates were given on deposits in violation of the directions of the circular of the Registrar of Co-operative societies. It was also reported that the President of the Society took advance amounts. 

The norms allow only A-class members to avail loans, and they are vested with voting rights in the General body. The C-class members can take part in monthly deposit schemes and fixed deposit schemes. During the probe, it was revealed that between 2015 and 2020, an amount of ₹9.02 crore was disbursed through 1114 loan accounts. Only 17 loans were given to A-class members, while C-class members received loans to the tune of ₹2.54 crore. The report shows that if the loans given to C-class members are not paid back, the society cannot initiate arbitration to settle the dues. This was cited as a major lapse on the part of the administrative committee. 

The Assistant Registrar (General) also looked into the complaints pertaining to benami transactions. Notices were sent to all the depositors who turned up in person and said that they had availed the loans directly. The official ruled out benami transactions based on the statements of the depositors. 

The department subjected the accounts between 2015-16 to 2019-20 to scrutiny as part of the probe. The report cited that there was a huge disparity of up to ₹ 1 crore between the assets and liabilities of the society. It showed that interest rates were fixed at a high percentage, ignoring the circulars of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. 

The report also pointed out that the society spent ₹97.6 lakh from its own fund to pay the collection agents who were appointed without consent. The official recommended that an amount of ₹1.18 crore shall be levied from the Secretary of the Society who was responsible for loss incurred from unauthorised appointments of temporary staff and collection agents. In four financial years, an amount of ₹11.29 lakh was given as high interest to the depositors, flouting norms. As per the probe report, the dues of deposit schemes stood at ₹4.11 crore. 

The department, which has completed the first two levels of investigation, has begun the final phase of the probe, which is expected to be completed in three months. Anilkumar had served as the President of the Society between 2015-16 and 2019-20. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Cantonment ACP Stuart Keeler has begun a probe into the suicide of  K Anilkumar. The team has already collected the statements of his family members.