All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Union Alleges Unfair Accountability, Demands Urgent Intervention

Image - Statement by AIBOBU

The union's representation, which has also been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, Chief Labour Commissioner, and the Central Vigilance Commission, highlights a critical concern: the application of "two separate yardsticks of accountability" that are deemed "unequal and arbitrary."

Two-Tier Justice: Scrutiny for the Lower Ranks, Silence for the Top?
At the heart of the union's grievance is the perceived disparity in how accountability is assigned within Bank of Baroda. The AIBOBU points to a recent incident where the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a substantial penalty of ₹61.40 lakhs on the bank for regulatory non-compliance. While a penalty was levied, the union asserts that "no accountability was fixed at the top levels where responsibility clearly lay." This, they argue, stands in stark contrast to the treatment of junior officers.

The letter further details "inhumane working conditions" faced by officers, including long hours and resultant family disturbances, which the union claims are met with silence from the bank's highest authorities regarding corrective action. Most critically, the AIBOBU states that the "entire weight of blame" for Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and alleged irregularities is being unfairly shifted to "officers of Scale IV and below," who often lack the requisite authority over the very systemic processes they are being held accountable for.

The Ozone-Urbana Project: A Case Study in Bias?
To underscore their concerns, the union spotlights the ongoing preliminary investigations into pre-sanctioned housing loans related to the Ozone-Urbana Infra Developers Pvt Ltd project in Bengaluru. The AIBOBU claims these investigations are inherently biased, serving to protect senior executives while pinning blame on junior staff.

According to the union, the project itself was "pre-approved at higher levels" within the bank. Furthermore, loans were sanctioned by SMS / RAPC in Bengaluru in branches that had a minimal role, primarily disbursing funds based on pre-existing sanctions. The AIBOBU alleges that the current investigation is a deliberate attempt to "protect top executives while scapegoating innocent junior officers" who acted in good faith and under instructions.

Legal and Ethical Basis for Demand
The union firmly grounds its demands in established legal and ethical principles, reminding the bank that RBI and CVC guidelines mandate that accountability must be "proportionate to authority and locus of control." Holding officers accountable without corresponding authority or control over project approval and central monitoring is, in the union's view, "discriminatory, legally untenable, and indefensible." They also invoke Article 14 of the Constitution of India, emphasizing the principle of equality before the law.

Union's Urgent Demands:
The All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Union is pressing for immediate and decisive action, including:

1. Unbiased Investigations: A call for transparent and impartial investigations into the project approval processes for the Ozone-Urbana Avenue Project and similar cases.
2. Proportionate Accountability: Fixing accountability strictly at the levels where authority and responsibility were genuinely vested.
3. Protection for Bona Fide Officers: Directives to ensure that no officer acting in good faith under superior instructions is victimized.
4. Constructive Dialogue: Engagement in dialogue with the union to establish institutional safeguards against the recurrence of such issues, drawing parallels to how the bank handled the "Nathdwara" IFIL fraud case in the past.