Latur, Nov 6 (PTI) In a Diwali gift to two distressed farmer families, the Latur district administration in Maharashtra has restored their agricultural land allegedly taken over by private moneylenders through illegal transactions, an official said on Friday.
The land was returned to the original owners following an investigation by the cooperation department under the Maharashtra Moneylending (Regulation) Act, 2014.
Latur District Collector Bharat Bastewad and Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe handed over the land records (7/12 extracts as they are called in Maharashtra) to the two farmers on Thursday, said the official.
The administration has intensified its crackdown on illegal moneylending, with eight moneylenders booked and a scrutiny of transactions by all 373 licensed moneylenders in the central Maharashtra district ordered to prevent exploitation of farmers.
In the first case, a female agriculturist, Mandubai Irappa Davare of Kalkoti village in Chakur tehsil, had borrowed money from local moneylender Kisan Govind Almale to meet her daughter's marriage expenses. The lender allegedly took advantage of her financial distress and lack of awareness to obtain a sale deed of her agricultural land as security for the loan, said the official.
An inquiry by the state cooperation department established that the transaction was not a genuine sale, but a means of securing a loan. Following the proceedings, 1.80 hectares of land was restored to Davare and a case was registered against the moneylender at the Chakur police station, he said.
In the second case, Vaman Shripati Suryawanshi, a cultivator from Thor Makni village in Nilanga tehsil, had taken a loan from moneylender Sharad Digambar Patil due to financial difficulties.
The lender allegedly obtained a guarantee involving 40 ares (4,000 square meters or almost 1 acre) ) of Suryawanshi's land and subsequently transferred it in his own name and later to another person. An inquiry confirmed that the transaction was linked to illegal moneylending, paving the way for restoration of the land to the farmer, stated the official.
Under Section 18(2) of the Maharashtra Moneylending (Regulation) Act, cooperation department authorities have the power to investigate properties acquired through illegal moneylending and restore them to their original owners.
Exercising these powers, the district deputy registrar cancelled the disputed sale deeds in both cases.
As part of the crackdown on illegal moneylending, cases have been registered against eight persons under the Act at various police stations across the district. The action followed raids and the collection of preliminary evidence after complaints of illegal moneylending.
The district administration has received 145 complaints so far, of which inquiries have been completed in 66 cases. Prima facie evidence of illegal moneylending was found in 14 cases after which eight persons were booked, stated the official.
Collector Bastewad has appealed to farmers who had been cheated by moneylenders through fraudulent sale deeds to approach the cooperation department without fear.
Taking advantage of farmers' financial distress or lack of awareness to obtain ownership of their land under the guise of loan transactions is illegal, he said, adding the administration was committed to securing justice for affected cultivators.
In a parallel move, the administration has ordered a scrutiny of the lending transactions of all 373 licensed moneylenders in Latur district to ensure farmers are not exploited even by authorised lenders.
According to the administration, these moneylenders have collectively extended loans worth Rs 19.71 crore to 3,534 borrowers.
The collector has directed officials to verify loan disbursements, examine whether lending norms have been followed and submit a report at the earliest. The move is aimed at curbing irregularities and ensuring farmers are protected from exploitative lending practices.
