Exactly a month after the suicide of a five-member family at Mannanthala triggered a Statewide police crackdown on illegal moneylenders and loan sharks under the mission titled ‘Operation Kuberan,’ City Police Commissioner H. Venkatesh on Monday issued orders for the externment of a woman, allegedly a loan shark, from the city limits, under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA).
According to Mr. Venkatesh, orders were issued for the externment of Sachu, a resident of Kannettumukku, near Thycaud, who had four cases registered against her under the provisions of the Kerala Money-Lenders Act and was arrested in connection with other cases earlier. She was known to have given loans at exorbitant interest rates after taking blank cheques, promissory notes and land documents as security. If there was any default in payment, she allegedly took over the property and possessions of the debtor forcibly. The number of complaints against her had gone up recently, the Commissioner said. Many of the complainants were keeping silent and the recent crackdown on loan sharks in the city had encouraged them to come forward with their complaints against Sachu, following which Deputy Commissioner S. Ajeetha Begum had recommended to the Commissioner for issuing externment orders, Mr. Venkatesh said, adding that Ms. Ajeetha Begum had been entrusted with implementing the order.
As per provisions of KAAPA, once externed, the person would not be allowed to enter the district without the permission of the City police. Any violations of the provisions could lead to imprisonment up to three years, the Commissioner said.
This was the first time in the State that a loan shark was being issued externment orders under KAAPA, he said, adding that the City police were the first, in December 2013, to detain a loan shark for six months under KAAPA.
