Police drive against financiers

The cops also raided houses of rowdy sheeters Chota Mohammed Pahelwan and Salam Pahelwan. The police seized books, receipts, documents and promissory notes from their houses. A case was booked against Jaffer Pahelwan at the Rein Bazaar police station for not allowing police to perform their duties.

A case was booked against Chota Mohammed Pahelwan at the Rein Bazaar PS for illegal money lending. He is absconding. Salam Pahelwan, against whom a case was booked is also absconding.

Police said that about 80 illegal money lenders were taken into custody. About 18 cases have been registered and 18 persons have been sent to judicial remand. About 25 teams led by the DCP took part in the special drive. Police said the murder of a printer by a financier for failing to repay loan has been taken seriously and a drive was launched to arrest financiers.

They said about 200 illegal financiers are active in the zone who harass people. "They collect interest of up to 30 to 40 per cent violating RBI guidelines. Their victims are the poor including vegetable vendors and push cart operators. They force them to pay higher interest and also threaten to take away their household things if they fail to pay interest," said Mr V. Satyanarayana. They also assault victims, trespass into houses and attack women too, he added.

The cases against illegal money lenders were booked under the Telangana State Money Lending Act. Police said the special drives would continue and requested victims to come forward to lodge complaints against illegal financiers.

The arrested financiers are T. Rachappa and Mohd. Amjed Hussain from Madannapet, Syed Momin Pasha, A. Srinivas from Mirchowk, M. Govind from Moghulpura, A. Ravi Kumar from Dabeerpura, Srinivas from Chandrayangutta, A. Ashok Kumar from Santhoshnagar, Mohd. Kareemuddin from Bahadurpura and others.