FIR against Sangli sugar factory as farmers claim firm took loans in their names

The economic offences wing (EOW) of the Sangli police on May 24 registered an FIR against Sadguru Sri Sri co-operative sugar factory at Atpadi in Sangli district on various charges of cheating and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The police action follows complaints by farmers from Borgaon village, Malshiras taluka and Solapur district that loans were taken in their name by the sugar factory without their knowledge.

On February 22, HT had reported about the case of farmer Rahul Bidave from village Borgaon wherein he had received a recovery notice from ICICI bank’s Senapati Bapat road branch in Pune for the repayment of a loan of ₹3.44 lakh, although he had not applied for any such loan.

Similar cases of about 20 farmers from Rajewadi village in Atpadi tehsil involving Canara Bank was reported by this newspaper on March 17.

Following receipt of bank notice, around 20 farmers approached the Atpadi police to file a complaint with the police who initially refused to lodge a first information report (FIR).

Bhibishan Shrikhande, a complainant in the case, said that police officers were not ready to lodge an FIR initially and were pressurising the farmers to close the case.

Maruti Mane another farmer from Rajewadi village said that he, too, underwent a similar experience wherein the police were taking his signature to withdraw the police complaint.

However, the farmers were satisfied that an FIR was finally registered against the chairman and vice-chairman of the sugar factory.

When asked about the delay in registering the FIR, Rajendra More, police inspector of the economic offences wing said that the police teams were busy in the Maitreya fraud and Kothwale murder cases and hence, there was a delay in lodging the FIR.