Man ends life after alleging misappropriation by bank official

Mangaluru: A tragic case of suicide was reported in Permanki village, under the Mangalore Rural Police Station limits, on 17 December 2024. The deceased, 47-year-old Manohar Pereira, allegedly ended his life after enduring prolonged financial hardships and alleged misappropriation of funds by a bank official.

Pereira had been living with his elder brother, Melburn Pereira, in a house purchased a decade ago through a loan from MCC Bank. However, financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic led to loan default, and the house was seized by the bank two years ago. The incident reportedly caused im-mense mental distress to Pereira, who suffered two heart attacks during this pe-riod.

In February 2023, a charitable organisation stepped in, with Sister Christine transferring Rs 15 lakh to Mr. Pereira’s account to help clear the loan. Despite this effort, allegations have surfaced that MCC Bank president, Anil Lobo, withdrew Rs 9 lakh from Pereira’s account using a self-cheque, leaving a sig-nificant portion of the loan unpaid. Although the house was returned to the family six months ago, the financial strain reportedly persisted.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Pereira was found hanging in his home. He had recorded a video in Tulu, which was circulated via WhatsApp, alleging, “Anil Lobo of MCC Bank is responsible for this. He seized my house, and despite paying Rs 15 lakh, Rs 9 lakh was withdrawn from my account.” The Mangalore Rural Police have registered a case under Crime No. 113/2024, invoking Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Mr. Lobo has been taken into custody, and a comprehensive investigation is un-derway to verify the allegations and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident. This case has sparked discussions on the psychological toll of finan-cial distress and accountability in banking practices.