The banking community is rallying behind Pratip Chaudhuri, the former chief of State Bank of India (SBI), who was arrested by Rajasthan Police on Sunday.

The Indian Banks Association (IBA) is set to take up the matter with Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and the finance ministry.

Senior bankers have condemned the action and called for a mechanism to protect people who have taken even genuine decisions after following the proper process.

“One of the most ridiculous action by Rajasthan police. A shameful act. All bankers need to unite and condemn such high handedness of the police department,’’ Rajnish Kumar, the former chairman of SBI, said.

Bankers said the development reminded them of the arrest of former Bank of Maharashtra managing director R.P. Marathe and executive director R.K. Gupta.

In June 2018, they were arrested by the Economic Offenses Wing (EoW) of the Pune police in an alleged cheating case. They were reinstated by the bank later after the police filed a closure report on the case because of lack of evidence.

Calling the arrest “absolutely pathetic”, Sunil Srivastava, the former deputy managing director of SBI, tweeted as to how the police from another state arrest someone in the capital without notice and without summons.

“Absolutely pathetic, is the system being gamed again by defaulters despite all efforts by Modi govt, time for overhaul of judicial processes to improve transparency and introduce accountability?’’ he asked while tagging PMO India.