PMC Bank protesters stopped en route to Maha CM's bungalow

A group of scam-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank depositors were on Friday stopped from protesting in front of Varsha, the official residence of the Maharashtra chief minister in the metropolis' Malabar Hill area, an official said.

They had gathered at Maharashtra government's Sahyadri Guest House nearby when they were stopped while moving towards Varsha, the official said.

Some PMC bank officials are accused of colluding with infra firm HDIL to issue loans to the latter, leading to a loss of over Rs 4,000 crore to the lender.

Bank officials as well as functionaries of HDIL are behind bars in this connection.

The protesters, a large number of whom were women, carried placards and chanted slogans against Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Reserve Bank of India.

"There is no money to celebrate Diwali. It is a Black Diwali for us," said one depositor, while another said the irregularities at the bank had wiped out his savings, leaving him penniless during the festival of lights.

A depositor said the government was doing nothing to get them back their hard-earned money.

Police said 13 persons, including nine women, were detained and handed over to Azad Maidan police and were later released.