No suo motu cases against moneylenders: DGP's new order

DGP-IGP Neelamani N Raju has directed her officials to not register suo motu cases against moneylenders who charge exorbitant interest rates. This comes as a shocker, as chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has been vocal about his government’s commitment to curbing unauthorised moneylenders, reports the Times of India.

The DGP had on September 3 issued an eight-point circular to curb unauthorised moneylenders who charge exorbitant interests. The circular was issued 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 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.

The DGP has said the new circular was issued in compliance with the court orders. However, Kumaraswamy had said that he had directed police to arrest bank managers who harass loan defaulters.