Lotus Bank Customers to Protest Racial Discrimination Today

Customers of Novi-based Lotus Bank claiming discrimination from the bank will protest from 3 to 5 p.m. today at Lotus Bank, 44350 West 12 Mile Rd in Novi.

Executives of Novi-based Lotus Bank are being accused of discriminatory treatment against two Indian customers, as well as using racially insensitive language in emails about Indian people in general, calling them "chimps", and saying "the only good Indian is a dead one."

The bank has reported that 30 percent of the Lotus customer base is Indian and the bank opened a second branch in Farmington Hills, citing its large Asian-Indian population as one of the reasons. 

"We selected communities that both had a business market and an Indian market, and Farmington Hills is the perfect demographic for that," bank president and CEO Neal Searle said.

In March, Jasit Takhar of Canton and Anil Gupta of Troy filed a lawsuit outlining a history of hostile treatment from bank employees, including Searle. 

>>Read more about the lawsuit and the emails to be used as supporting evidence.

Anyone who feels they have been mistreated in a similar manner by the bank are asked to contact Attorney Liz Thomson of Hertz Schram at 248-335-5000 or lthomson@hertzschram.com.