Udupi: Brahmavar police have arrested three persons associated with a Mangaluru-based finance firm for allegedly charging exorbitant interest and harassing borrowers over unpaid instalments. They are also accused of forcibly taking away a motorcycle and assaulting a loan guarantor.The accused Sandeep Shetty of Kulai and Vijeeth Shetty of Kavoor, Mangaluru were arrested on Aug 6. They were produced before the jurisdictional court. Another accused, Sampath of Malavoor in Bajpe, Mangaluru, was arrested on Thursday.According to police, the firm allegedly extended loans at high interest rates and harassed borrowers in the Kunjal area of Brahmavar police station limits when they defaulted on repayments.The case was registered following a complaint by Rajesh Naik, who stood guarantor for a loan obtained by Ganesh Ganiga of Kunjal. The accused allegedly forcibly took away Ganiga’s motorcycle over the loan dispute and assaulted Naik.Brahmavar police registered a case under Sections 137(2), 115(2), 118(2), 308, 351(2), 352 read with Section 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Karnataka Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2004.A team led by investigating officer and Brahmavar police sub-inspector Ashok Malabagi, along with crime staff Kiran and Siddappa Sakenalli launched an investigation. Police recovered the motorcycle allegedly taken from the borrower and seized the car purportedly used in the commission of the offence.The operation was carried out under the guidance of Udupi subdivision DSP Belliappa KU and Brahmavar circle inspector Gopikrishna.
