S Gopal Puri
Dharamsala: On Monday, RS Bali, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), addressed mounting questions over his family’s recent hotel acquisition in Palampur, clarifying that the transaction was entirely legal and distancing himself from allegations that he intervened in One-Time Settlement (OTS) proceedings with Kangra Central Cooperative (KCC) Bank.
At a press conference at Hotel Dhauladhar, Bali said his private office spotted an advertisement in The Tribune about a hotel property put up for sale. His wife, Bhumika Bali, responded by contacting the owner through email after learning about the advertisement. “We came to know that the owner was facing huge penal interest, and that the property was already listed under the OTS scheme,” Bali said. He added that the loan account associated with the owner was declared a Non-Performing Asset (NPA), and the bank was involved in its handling.
According to Bali, the purchase deal was executed directly with the hotel owner, with agreed payment, and that the Bali family had “nothing to do with KCC Bank” beyond what was publicly in the advertisement. “We just paid the owner as per our agreement. Everything was legal; there is nothing illegal,” he asserted.
Bali strongly rejected media and political claims that he or his family influenced KCC Bank to grant OTS relief. He noted that approximately 4,420 other loan account holders benefited from the KCC Bank’s OTS scheme. He said such allegations against him and his family are unfounded and misleading.
Regarding the hotel itself, Bali confirmed that the purchased property spans six kanals in Palampur and is indeed a hotel. He said they have all relevant legal and banking documents supporting the transaction.
“We have full white papers, complete documentation. There is no shadow over our purchase,” Bali told reporters.
Published reports and complaints suggest that the KCC Bank’s OTS scheme has been under heightened scrutiny. A report by the Tribune noted that under the scheme, KCCB had resolved thousands of NPA cases, with significant loan amounts waived. ([The Tribune][1])
Bali concluded by affirming that he will explore legal recourse against any defamation targeting his wife and sister arising from the allegations. He emphasized that public service and transparency remain at the core of his political and personal conduct.
