Bhubaneswar: Odisha Grameen Bank Chairman Rishi Singh on Tuesday termed the recent incident in Keonjhar, where a man reportedly brought his deceased sister’s skeleton to a bank branch to establish his claim as a legal heir as "deeply unfortunate", while asserting that the bank followed due procedures.

On the sequence of events, Singh said the man had visited the branch earlier and attempted to withdraw money from an account that was in a woman’s name. The branch manager informed him that he could not deposit or withdraw funds as a third party and that the account holder needed to be present or proper legal documentation must be furnished.

The Chairman stated that the man initially gave inconsistent statements regarding his sister’s condition at one point, claiming she was unwell and later stating she had passed away. Bank officials advised him that in the event of the account holder’s death, funds could only be released upon submission of valid documents, such as a death certificate and legal heir certification.

“Despite being counselled, he did not agree and later returned with what was claimed to be his sister’s remains. The situation created panic among bank staff and customers, following which local police were informed. The police intervened and handled the situation,” he said.

Clarifying the bank’s position, Singh emphasised that there was no intention to harass the individual.

"Banks are bound to follow established settlement procedures. Payments can only be made to verified legal heirs or nominees as per due process. This is public money, and it must go to the rightful claimant," he added.

He further informed that the nominee linked to the account is also reported to be deceased, making the process more complex. The claimant had been asked to provide a legal heir certificate issued by competent local authorities, which is mandatory for settlement in such cases.

According to Singh, the matter had been under process for some time, and the claimant had earlier been advised to obtain the necessary documents. However, the required certificate has not yet been submitted, as confirmation from local authorities is still pending.

The bank has conducted an internal inquiry, and senior officials, including regional managers, have visited the branch and submitted a report. Singh assured that once proper verification is completed and the administration confirms the legal heirs, the payment will be processed without delay.

“We will ensure that the rightful beneficiary receives the money as soon as the legal formalities are completed,” he added.

The tribal man unearthed his dead sister's skeleton as he staged a protest in front of the rural bank with the skeleton to get back the money she had deposited. The incident took place in Mallipasi village, under the Patna police station, at about 1 p.m. on Monday. 

The bank officials became frightened after seeing the skeleton and informed the police. After getting information, the police team went to the spot. Later, after a discussion with the police, the man took back the skeleton and reburied it in the right place.

According to the police, Jitu's sister died two months ago. She has an account in a rural bank in Mallipasi with a deposit of Rs 19,300. After her death, he went to the bank to withdraw the amount. But the bank official refused to pay because the account is in his sister's name. The bank official told him to collect the proof of death and other documents to withdraw the amount. Jitu could not understand because he was illiterate. Instead of arranging a death certificate as proof, he dug the burial place, collected the bones in a sack and presented them to the bank official as proof, police said.