Rajkot: A govt contractor in Jamnagar has accused a police constable and his three associates of running an illegal moneylending racket, extorting and threatening him and using coercive recovery practices despite him having repaid more than Rs 1 crore against Rs 50 lakh borrowed.Rajkot range IG Nirlipt Rai transferred the probe to Surendranagar police and formed an SIT to investigate the allegations.Pushparajsinh Rana, 32, lodged a complaint at Jamnagar City B Division police station against constable Ajaysinh Zala and his associates, Divyarajsinh Vadher, Ajaysinh Vadher and Yuvrajsinh Zala. The complaint alleged extortion, criminal intimidation and abetment, along with offences under the Gujarat Money-Lenders Act. Rana submitted a copy of the complaint to the Rajkot range inspector general of police (IG) on Monday.The complaint states that Ajaysinh Zala lent Rana Rs 50 lakh at an interest rate of 3% per month without the required licence or permit. Rana stated that though he had repaid more than Rs 1 crore, the accused kept demanding an additional Rs 2 crore.Rana said he had sought financing to secure sand-mining leases at Bhadra village in Jamnagar district’s Jodiya taluka and Karnali village in Vadodara district’s Dabhoi taluka.He initially borrowed Rs 35 lakh, which was disbursed through an angadia firm in Jamnagar’s Digvijay Plot area and later repaid Rs 44 lakh. In 2025, he borrowed a further Rs 15 lakh and said Rs 60.97 lakh was subsequently recovered from him. According to Rana, his total repayments exceeded Rs 1 crore.The complaint further alleges that the accused threatened Rana, his relatives and friends while demanding more money. Rana said notarised documents and cheques for large sums were taken from him with the assistance of the other accused.A document undertaking payment of Rs 1.20 crore and five blank cheques were taken in the name of Divyarajsinh Vadher. Similar documents promising payments of Rs 40 lakh each, along with one cheque each, were allegedly taken in the names of Ajaysinh Vadher and Yuvrajsinh Zala.Limbdi deputy superintendent of police Vishal Rabari has been tasked with supervising the investigation.Rabari said Ajaysinh Zala had previously served with Jamnagar district police before being transferred to Surendranagar district. He added that the allegations are being investigated.
