In a significant relief for depositors of Sahara-linked cooperative societies, the Office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) has directed immediate repayment of dues along with interest to a petitioner following directions from the Orissa High Court.
The case pertains to Kedarnath Patnaik, a depositor in Humara India Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. and Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd., who had approached the court seeking refund of his deposits.
Acting on the High Court’s order dated January 15, 2026, the CRCS examined the matter and noted that the petitioner’s refund claim, filed through the CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal, could not be processed earlier due to missing documentation for deposits exceeding the prescribed limit.
However, in a decisive move, the Central Registrar has now directed the CEOs and Chairpersons of the concerned societies to immediately repay the petitioner’s deposits along with applicable interest, emphasizing that there is no restriction on societies to make such payments.
The order also reiterates that depositors must submit complete documentation, including income tax returns and bank statements, for claims above Rs 5 lakh (now enhanced to Rs 10 lakh) through the online refund portal launched in compliance with the Supreme Court of India directions.
The CRCS further advised the petitioner to re-submit his application through the designated re-submission portal to ensure processing as per the standard operating procedure.
This development marks another step in the ongoing efforts to streamline refunds to genuine depositors of Sahara Group cooperative societies under judicial and regulatory supervision.
