The incident occured after the bank’s loan recovery agents seized a two-wheeler from a customer who claimed to have paid off all dues.
Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation, attacked a branch office of the ICICI Bank near Central Silk Board on Hosur Road on Monday evening, after the bank’s loan recovery agents seized a two-wheeler from a customer who claimed to have paid off all dues.
The police said the activists got violent after talks with the bank officials to get the motorcycle released failed. The vehicle belonged to Rajesh, a resident of BTM Layout and former KRV member. It was seized while he was riding it at Srirampuram earlier in the day, police said.
“Nearly 25 members of KRV went to the bank’s office at around 4.30pm to talk to the officials,” deputy commissioner of police (south-east) BNS Reddy said. “They claimed that only one installment was remaining, and argued that there was no need to seize the vehicle. When bank officials did not relent, they became violent,” Reddy said.
They threw the chairs and broke glass window panes in the office. A security guard, Jagadish, sustained minor injuries in the scuffle, police said.
Reddy said the bank has filed a police complaint against five people, including Rajesh, for rioting and damaging property. The others arrested are Shashikumar, Krishnappa and Manjunath from Electronic City, and Pushpakumar from HSR Layout.
The police have also seized a Scorpio and three other cars in which the KRV members arrived at the bank.
Rajesh had earlier filed a complaint with the Srirampuram police alleging that recovery agents waylaid him and seized his two-wheeler, and claimed that the loan was repaid. Srirampuram inspector VP Upadhya said the complaint was being investigated.
An ICICI spokesperson said that it was a case of “mistaken identity leading to wrongful possession of the vehicle by the bank's agency”. After ascertaining the facts, the bank has terminated the services of the agency, Aditya Solutions, he said.
Reacting to the arrests, KRV state president Shivarame Gowda alleged that the bank acted with utter disregard to the law of the land. “Rajesh was an activist of the KRV. But, I approve of the action taken by him and his associates against the bank. The bank deployed anti-social elements for seizing the vehicle. We have found several cases of the bank harassing customers even after they have repaid their loans,” he said.
Rajesh had offered to pay the dues, but the bank didn’t have his documents, KRV's legal advisor Prakash Shetty said.
“This is not the first time that ICICI is indulging in such arm-twisting tactics,” Shetty said. Recalling another incident at Peenya, he said the bank's agents beat up a goods tempo driver and seized his vehicle last year. “The bank should stop employing goondas to recover loans,” he said.
In another incident, a farmer from Mandya allegedly committed suicide after his tractor was seized by the bank, he said. Farmers’ association went on a strike in Mandya, forcing bank officials to tender an apology and waive off his loan, Shetty said.
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