Bengaluru: Cops do a U-turn, say no suo motu cases against Shylocks

BENGALURU: In an unexpected turnaround, the head of the state police has directed her officials to not to register suo motu cases against moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rates for farmers among others.

While chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has been vocal about his government’s commitment to curbing unauthorised moneylenders, the state police chief’s order has come as a shocker.

Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police (DGP and IGP) Neelamani N Raju had on September 3 issued an eight-point circular to curb unauthorised moneylenders who charge exorbitant interests. This came after the state government sought the president's approval for its Karnataka Debt Relief Act 2018.

However, the DGP on October 3 issued an order directing police officials not to register suo motu cases against unauthorised moneylenders or those who charge exorbitant interests. The new circular, a copy of which is with TOI, states that the September 3 directives were being modified so that police register cases against moneylenders only if the registrars/assistant registrars of the department of co-operatives file a complaint.

When TOI tried to contact the DGP, she said the new circular was issued in compliance with the court orders.

It may be recalled that Kumaraswamy had at a recent job mela in the city also claimed that he had directed police to arrest bank managers who harass loan defaulters that they would be forfeiting their pledged assets.

Recently, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru city police arrested nine moneylenders including two women and seized Rs 69.16 lakh, after simultaneous raids at 10 places.