Action taken against 1600 money lenders: Mah govt

Mumbai,July 19 (UNI) The Maharashtra Government today told the Legislative Assembly that criminal cases had been filed against 1600 money lenders on charges of harassing debt-ridden farmers.

Informing this in the Lower House, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said the government had received complaints that some money lenders even take away wives of the farmers forcibly if they are not able to repay the debts.

Rejecting the opposition charge of political interference in the action against money lenders, Mr Patil said the Chief Minister's office did ask for thorough probe before action is taken as many MLAs complained that action has been initiated out of vengeance.

''But, action did not stop and all charges had been proved to be true'', he said and added that arrests would be made shortly.

He also said that MPs had also complained that money-lenders forcibly took away womenfolk from the debt-ridden farmers' families if they failed to repay the loans. The government has taken serious views of these complaints.

Referring to a case in Udgir in Beed district about a farmer's wife missing since 2004, Mr Patil said the concerned farmer had filed a police case 11 months later that his wife had left home with jewellery telling him that she was going to her mother's place and never to return. Investigations at the woman's maternal home in Karnataka revealed that she had never visited the place.

To which opposition members said she was taken away by the money lender from whom her husband had borrowed money. Mr Patil said the government would look into the information provided by the member.

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