If you had invested in any of the cooperative societies run by the Sahara Group and your refund claim was either rejected or left unpaid after applying through the government’s online refund portal launched in July 2023, here's some good news. The Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) under the Ministry of Cooperation has reopened the refund application process, giving investors another opportunity to claim their money.

The reapplication window is especially for depositors who:

• Had applied for a refund between July and August 2023 via the CRCS Sahara Refund Portal




• Faced rejection of their refund claim




• Did not receive the approved refund amount due to technical reasons or verification issues

The Ministry has stated that applicants falling into the above categories can now resubmit their claims on the portal.

In July 2023, the Government of India launched the CRCS Sahara Refund Portal, allowing over 10 crore investors who had deposited money in Sahara's four cooperative societies to claim their refunds. These societies include:

This time, the portal is not open for new claimants, but only for those whose claims were:

• Rejected previously




• Approved but left unpaid

Investors can log in to the portal using their Aadhaar-linked mobile number and re-upload necessary documents, such as:

• Deposit certificate/passbook




• Aadhaar card




• PAN card (if applicable)




• Bank account details

• Second chance for eligible investors to recover their deposited money




• Simplified verification process based on updated information




• Direct transfer of funds to the bank account of the applicant (if approved)

Make sure to have the following documents handy:

• Aadhaar Card




• PAN Card (if deposit exceeds ₹50,000)




• Original deposit receipts/passbooks




• Active bank account details (linked with Aadhaar)

While the ministry has not officially announced a hard deadline for reapplication, applicants are advised to submit their reclaims as early as possible, ideally within July or August 2025, to avoid any further delay or missing out.

In the initial phase launched in 2023, the government had promised to refund up to ₹10,000 per eligible depositor. However, the total amount refunded will depend on the available funds, deposit proof, and validity of claims. Higher refunds may be processed in subsequent phases based on court directives and recovered assets.

If your claim under the Sahara refund scheme was left unresolved last year, this reopened window is your chance to rectify the error and recover your hard-earned money. Be sure to check your earlier application status, re-submit necessary documents, and stay alert for any SMS or email communication from the Ministry.