Rajkot: Jetpur City police arrested a moneylender after a sewing machine shop owner accused him of extortion, threats and harassment despite repaying nearly Rs 41 lakh against loans totalling Rs 24 lakh.According to the FIR, complainant Ashok Rathod (38) borrowed money from accused Jayesh Bhut in instalments between 2018 and 2021 at a monthly interest rate of 2%. Rathod claimed he took the loans to support his business, pay for his sister’s wedding and meet expenses for his mother’s medical treatment.Rathod, originally from Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district and settled in Jetpur for around 35 years, alleged that he regularly paid Rs 48,000 a month as interest. Although he had repaid around Rs 41 lakh, Bhut allegedly continued demanding another Rs 24 lakh.The complainant alleged that the harassment escalated after he could no longer make timely interest payments. Bhut visited his shop in 2024, abused and threatened him, and forcibly obtained around 10 signed blank cheques belonging to Rathod and members of his family.Rathod claimed that the accused subsequently filled in amounts totalling nearly Rs 35 lakh on the cheques.The threats continued when Rathod travelled to Rajasthan following his brother-in-law’s death in 2025 and stayed there for about one and a half months. According to the complaint, Bhut repeatedly called him and demanded payment.Rathod also accused Bhut of making obscene remarks and inappropriate demands concerning his daughter and niece through calls and text messages.Based on Rathod’s complaint, Jetpur City police registered an FIR against Bhut under IPC Sections 386 and 294(B), along with Sections of the Gujarat Money Lenders Act, and arrested him.Police searched Bhut’s residence and recovered around 10 bank cheques belonging to Rathod and his relatives. During the search, Bhut was allegedly found under the influence of alcohol, prompting police to register a separate case against him under the Gujarat Prohibition Act.Rajkot Rural superintendent of police Vijay Singh Gurjar said police had intensified their crackdown on illegal moneylending. The district police have registered 57 cases against alleged usurers and arrested around 115 people so far in 2026, police said.
