The Hindu : New Delhi News : Old woman seeks justice for son

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 17, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Old woman seeks justice for son

Staff Reporter

He allegedly committed suicide due to humiliation he suffered at the hands of bank officials

NEW DELHI: A sexagenarian woman has knocked at the doors of the Delhi High Court seeking justice for her 34-year-old son who committed suicide last year allegedly due to humiliation he suffered at the hands of ICICI Bank officials who got his motorcycle hypothecated to the bank towed away following a default on payment of loan.

Himanshu Dev Sharma had taken an auto loan of Rs. 37,000 from the bank to buy a Hero Honda Passion motorcycle in June 2005 payable in 36 instalments. He had also taken another loan of Rs. 56,000 from the bank to be paid in 36 instalments, petitioner Shanti Devi Sharma said.

After paying some instalments, Himanshu began defaulting on repayment due to financial hardships. The bank in September 2005 started sending "goons" to his residence threatening him with dire consequences if the due payment was not made, the petitioner alleged.

They also threatened other members of the family, including Himanshu's wife, she further alleged.

Himanshu, his wife and herself had received numerous calls from the bank wherein foul and insulting words were used demeaning the integrity of the entire family, the petitioner charged.

On October 16, 2005, the bank's goons forcefully entered Himanshu's bedroom and started harassing him behind closed doors. When the petitioner came to know of the incident, she intervened in the matter and also offered to pay the pending instalments to prevent the "goons" from taking away the motorcycle. But they refused the offer and took away the motorcycle on the pretext of verifying it, the petition said.

The bank did not return the motorcycle despite repeated requests by Himanshu. His wife visited the bank to pay the pending instalments in return for the motorcycle but the bank refused to accept them as well. They rather demanded the entire amount due for payment in cash and also mentioned that the amount already paid would not be taken into account.

Himanshu felt so humiliated by the behaviour of the bank that he committed suicide last year, the petition alleged.

The petitioner lodged an FIR in November 2005 with the Sriniwaspuri police in South Delhi under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code against the liable bank officials for allegedly abetting Himanshu to commit suicide, the petition said

But the police had been sitting on the FIR despite repeated reminders to them, the petition alleged.

Taking note of the petition, Justice R.C. Jain of the High Court on Thursday directed the Sriniwaspuri Station House Officer (SHO) to be present in the Court in person and the Police Commissioner to file a status report about the case on March 30, the next date of hearing.

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