By Quaid Najmi
Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Aug 4 (IANS): In a shocking incident, a woman has complained that public sector State Bank Of India's (SBI) third-party recovery agents allegedly demanded "sexual favours" from her in lieu of outstanding payments in her credit card account.
The victim's husband said that the incident took place in February when the New Delhi-based recovery company, Incredible Management Services (IMS) owners and agents misbehaved with his wife.
"They started with threats, then abusive language, and then a direct SMS with a written demand for sexual favours with my wife to settle the outstanding bills," the livid husband told IANS.
The 29-year-old woman holds a SBI credit card since past three years and all bills were cleared regularly.
However, he said an amount of around Rs 21,000 was pending on account of the financial constraints faced by the family during the pandemic lockdown when he was virtually jobless and his wife's boutique for women's accessories was shut for a prolonged period.
Aurangabad's Deputy Police Commissioner, Zone II, Deepak Gire said that a FIR was lodged by MIDC-CIDCO Police Station soon after the incident and one accused booked under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code, and served notice.
"However, no arrests are made since the offence attracts a jail term of less than 3 years... and investigations are on," Gire told IANS.
While the couple contended that the police did nothing for six months after the complaint was registered, the police suddenly revived the investigations in July.
"They asked me to accompany them to New Delhi to arrest the culprits - IMS CEO Dharmendra S. Kalra and his recovery agent Ranjit Kumar... I paid for their entire lodging-boarding, local travel, etc, but they did nothing," the husband said.
It did not end here and they virtually compelled him to take them for a darshan at the Vaishnodevi Temple in J&K before returning to Aurangabad - all at his expense.
"We returned after 4 days with no arrests made as promised. On the contrary, the two police constables Laxman Rathod and Ghorpade disappeared for a couple of hours to meet the two accused and thereafter, they tried to dilute our strong case," he alleged.
In the meantime, the IMS agents allegedly created a fake profile on Facebook, posted photos of the couple, painted the woman as of "loose character" and "available for paid sex".
"We informed the police but it took them several weeks before any result. By then, our reputation was ruined in society," she said.
Despite repeated attempts by IANS, Kalra and Kumar were not available on their five mobile numbers provided in the police FIR.
The couple is sore that despite so much evidence handed over, the Aurangabad police have invoked mild sections and booked only one person so far.
"The IMS owner is the main culprit but the police are going soft on him.. Why? Was any arrangement worked out when the two constables met him in New Delhi?" the husband asked.
The duo has demanded that the Aurangabad Police take up the matter most seriously, slap more serious charges against the IMS CEO and the agent to prevent similar recurrences with other people.