SIDHARAM MALLAPPA PATIL Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Applicant is seeking anticipatory bail in connection with C.R.No. 282 of 2021 registered at Mandrup Police Station, Solapur, on 27/07/2021 under sections 39 and 45 of the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act, 2014 and under section 506 of the Indian Penal Code (for short 'IPC ').

(2.) Heard Shri. Ujwal Agandsurve, learned counsel for the applicant and Smt. Veera Shinde, learned APP for the State.

(3.) The First Information Report (for short 'F.I.R.) is lodged by one Pundlik Mane on 27/07/2021. He has stated that, he has a shop known as Sonali Cloth Center at Mandrup. According to him, he had taken Rs.2 lakhs from the present applicant on 15/09/2019 by way of loan to be repaid with interest at the rate of 3% p.m. As a security he had given five blank cheques bearing numbers 65759 to 65763 of Siddheshwar Bank, Mandrup branch. He had given a bond paper of Rs.100/- in his name. It was decided that, after the loan was repaid with interest the bond paper and cheques were to be returned to the first informant. According to the first informant, he had paid Rs.3,60,000/- till April 2021. In spite of that, on 02/05/2021 the applicant came to his shop and demanded Rs.2 lakhs more claiming that it was part of the interest and balance of the principal amount. The applicant allegedly told the informant that unless that amount was paid the cheques and bond paper would not be returned. He would file case against the informant for dishonour of those cheques. It is alleged that the applicant was constantly harassing by demanding money. He used to threaten constantly and was refusing to return the blank cheques and bond paper. On these allegations the F.I.R. was lodged.