Loan recovery; HC orders notice to CoP, Bank

Chennai, Jun 11: Madras High Court has ordered notice to Commissioner of Police (CoP), Chennai and a private bank on a writ petition which alleged that the bank was engaging the services of musclemen to force a customer to repay his personal loan.

Admitting the petition filed by S Ravi of Sholinganallur here, Justice A C Arumugaperumal Adityan issued the notices, returnable in two weeks.

The petitioner claimed that he had applied for a personal loan with the ICICI Bank in 2006. After scrutiny, the bank sanctioned him a loan of Rs 2.61 lakh on October 5, 2006. But, the bank transferred only Rs 1.5 lakh and retained the remaining Rs 1.1 lakh. The amount was to be repaid in 36 monthly instalments of Rs 9,438 through Electronic Clearance System (ECS).

Despite repeated reminders the bank did not release the detained sum of Rs 1.1 lakh, the petitoner said, adding that he had not been given the statement of account as well.

The petitioner further submitted that the collection agents of the bank attempted to trespass into his house and remove houshold articles. Ever since he sent a formal complaint to the bank on May 8, people claiming to be the bank's collection agents started coming to his house daily and harassed the inmates.

Ravi said on May 10 he had lodged a complaint with the City Commissioner of Police but so far no action had been taken against the bank authorities or the collection agents.

The petitioner sought an interim order forbearing the ank authorities or their men, agents or subordinates from trespassing into his house or removing the household articles.

UNI