Agrofin scam drives dealer to die by suicide, three booked

Nagpur: The suicide of 45-year-old Ramtek-based agri-dealer Anand Khante on April 2, near his residence, has led to the unravelling of a mega scam involving a controversial company & a bank manager. Khante was victim of alleged cheating to the tune of around 1cr, said police.

The suicide note left behind by Khante mentioned name of one Madhav Patil alias Madhav Pandhare, owner of Kadambari Irrigation Shadenet Company, based at Khamgaon in Buldhana, who lured the victim to invest heavily in his scheme, & duped him. It also mentioned Patil's wife, Anjali, who was co-owner. Names of Union Bank of India manager Ashish Gondane and recovery agent Vishwas Lamghare were also mentioned.

Sources said Kadambari Irrigation helped some farmers known to Khante from Ramtek to procure around Rs1cr loans to buy shade nets. Bank officials likely approved the loan without field inspections, said police. Entire loan money was paid to Kadambari Irrigation, either directly or through bank accounts of Khante & the farmers. However, the company did not provide the nets. Later, bank officials, recovery agents & even farmers all started hounding Khante to repay the loans, & install shade net. Ramtek police registered case of abetment against Kadambari owner Patil, bank manager Gondane, & recovery agent Lamghare.