BML asked to handover docs submitted to open fraudulent account
Without verifying the account statements, the company and those who dealt with the company will face losses, Hanbo said.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Civil Court on Thursday ordered Bank of Maldives (BML) to hand over the documents filed by Hassan Mamdhooh, who is a minority shareholder at Hanbo company which is constructing the K-Park luxury housing complex in Hulhumale, to allegedly open a fraudulent account under the company's name. However, the court ruled that an order for the statements of the accounts could not be issued.
Hanbo company has filed a criminal case against Mamdhooh and another person for allegedly extorting money from a large number of people through fraud by forging the signature of its managing director and 95% shareholder Jin Shi Hu.
According to the company:
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Mamdhooh had opened fake accounts with BML by forging the signature of the company's managing director; they are an MVR account and a dollar account
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The company has decided to sue BML for failing to cooperate with its efforts to obtain documents for the accounts
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The company filed a civil suit on June 14 seeking an order to obtain documents for the purpose of prosecution
Hanbo asked the Civil Court:
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For an order to obtain copies of the documents submitted by Mamdhooh to BML for opening the accounts
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For an order to obtain statements of the accounts
The Civil Court ruled on the case last Thursday. The decision states:
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Copies of all documents submitted by Mamdhooh to BML to open the bank account should be given to Hanbo before Sunday
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There is no place to order for copies of account statements from the date of opening of the account to date
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The reason for the decision was that BML had acted in such a way that bank statements could be requested after filing a claim for compensation
Hanbo said in a statement on Friday that it would appeal the Civil Court's decision on the account statements in the High Court.
The company said:
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Without the account statements, there will be obstacles in claiming damages against BML
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The verification process regarding transactions conducted in the name of the company cannot be completed without receiving the account statements
The company is currently working to verify the authenticity of the transactions carried out by forging Jin Shi Hu's signature in the fraudulent sale of the K-Park Residences apartments. The company said on Friday that the work would proceed after receiving the bank statements.
BML has previously said that the bank cannot legally disclose information about a particular customer. The bank's customers have established rules to obtain the information they need and the bank will respond to requests made in accordance with those rules.
