Employee of finance agency booked for using offensive language over delayed repayment

The Gurugram Police have registered a case against an employee of a private finance company for allegedly using offensive language while speaking to a credit card

The Gurugram Police have registered a case against an employee of a private finance company for allegedly using offensive language while speaking to a credit card defaulter.

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The police are yet to identify the suspect and are tracing his call detail records to establish if he had made similar calls to others.

According to the police, Dr Vinita Singh, a resident of Sector 46, alleged that she received a call on December 10 from a man who introduced himself as an executive of a private loan company. Singh alleged that the caller threatened her for not paying her loan instalment, abused her and threatened her with dire consequences, said police.

The police said that the employee of the company used offensive language while speaking on the phone to a customer, who, according to him, had defaulted on loan dues, a police officer said.

KK Rao, the commissioner of police, said that surprisingly, the woman had not taken any loan from the company and even if she had, the company executives are not supposed to use foul language. “We have registered a case against the suspect and are verifying his credentials. We are conducting an inquiry in this case and appropriate action will be taken against him,” he said.

A case under sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 506 (Criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the caller at Sector 50 police station on Wednesday, said police.

Rao said many loan app companies have come under the scanner over allegations of harassment. In one instance, a man had committed suicide in Hyderabad a few days ago. These companies issue micro loans and ask for limited documentation, due to which people find it easier to access.

“Now, people have started complaining against them as they start reaching out to contact numbers and inform them that the person has not repaid the loan and instalments,” he said.

The Hyderabad Police had received similar complaints too and their investigation revealed there were around 30 such apps owned by four companies operating from Gurugram and Hyderabad, but registered in Jakarta, Indonesia. The police investigation revealed that often, users would unwittingly provide these companies access to contacts, pictures, location and the device memory, established as pre-conditions to use the app.

Unfortunately, while installing the app, borrowers are not asked for their consent to access their contacts, which, some aggressive lenders, are now tapping to publicly humiliate borrowers, said police.