KOCHI: The seizure of signed blank cheque leaves came in handy for the police, who registered a case against a Vazhakulam resident for carrying out an illegal money lending business. The Vazhakulam police had registered a case and carried out a raid at the residence of Bony Pius, 26, on July 19.
The police said the accused ran the business without a licence and charged exorbitant interest on cash advance. He allegedly kept registration certificate (RC) books of 10 vehicles belonging to different persons along with three blank cheque leaves. Seven vehicles were recovered from the house that were kept as security for the money advanced by him.
Though the accused approached the Ernakulam District Principal Sessions Court, citing he was falsely framed, he was denied anticipatory bail after he failed to explain why he kept the cheque leaves at his house. Bony claimed that he was running a used-car business.
The court was particular about the recovery of blank cheque leaves from his house to deny him anticipatory bail. “Even assuming for the argument’s sake that the petitioner is engaged in the business of the used-car sale and hence the vehicles were kept in the residence with RC particulars, no explanation is seen given for the possession of three signed blank cheque leaves seized from his house.
The blank signed cheque leaves are not necessary for doing the said business. So the seizure of cheque leaves points to the prosecution allegation that the petitioner is being engaged in the money lending business without a licence,” Judge Honey M Varghese observed. The court noted that the report filed by the police mentioned clearly that Bony had given money to more persons charging exorbitant interest.