The Aluva police arrested two persons allegedly involved in unlicenced money-lending business and seized Rs 9.70 lakh from them on Tuesday.
The arrest was part of a district-wide raid planned by the police under the name “Operation Shylock”.
The arrested were Dixon Pudussery, residing near Snehapuram Church at Paravoor junction, and Mohanan, son of Padmanabhan Thundiyil, residing at Chandrika Lane near Casino Theatre. Rs 9.70-lakh unaccounted money was seized from Dixon’s house along with various blank documents supporting unauthorised money dealings. A number of signed stamp papers, promissory notes and blank cheques were recovered from Mohanan’s residence.
According to Ernakulam Rural SP Sathish Bino, who led the operation, 10 teams were formed to carry out the operation at 11 locations.
From the raids carried out at Aluva, Piravom, Perumbavur, Muvattupuzha, Kalady, Angamaly, Chengamanad, Paravur, Njarakal, Vadakkekara and Munambam, Rs 16.05 lakh in cash was recovered.
A number of promissory notes, blank cheques and signed blank stamp papers were also seized from these places, he said.
From Muvattupuzha, Rs 5.90 lakh, four blank cheques and three signed stamp papers were recovered from an operator. From Paravoor, Rs 45,000 was recovered from Shihab, an active DYFI member. Bino said arrests were carried out under the special provisions of the Kerala Moneylenders Act.
The unaccounted money with supporting documents such as signed blank cheques, stamp papers and promissory notes served as supporting evidence for their involvement in the business which made them liable for arrest, he said.
Bino said he, along with South Zone ADGP A Hemachandran, planned out ‘Operation Shylock’ to curb illegal methods adopted by private money-lending operations.