The trio Riya Goswami, Aarti Goswami, and Tejas Goswami from Kutch East have been charged under the GujCTOC, and their properties, allegedly purchased with crime proceeds, have been seized.
Police sources say the Goswami siblings were involved in an illegal money-lending racket, charging an outrageous 30% monthly interest. They reportedly harassed and coerced borrowers into paying compound interest, using threats of severe consequences to enforce payments.
Also, two cases of abetment to suicide have already been registered against the trio, highlighting the devastating toll their extortion racket inflicted on vulnerable borrowers, the investigators said.
Sagar Bagmar, Kutch (East) Superintendent of Police, told Mirror that the stringent action was initiated under the instructions of Gujarat DGP Vikas Sahay, who had directed officials to probe whether properties held by GujCOC-accused individuals were financed through illicit means.
“Our investigation revealed that the properties owned by the Goswami siblings were purchased entirely through earnings from illegal money-lending,” said SP Bagmar. “This is a landmark moment – for the first time in Gujarat Police history, women have been booked under GujCTOC and their assets seized pending proof of innocence.”
Police sources revealed that the trio ran a well-organized cartel, recruiting several tough associates from the region to enforce their illegal money-lending operations. The cartel operated freely, instilling fear among borrowers, many of whom are too scared to speak out.
“We are urging victims to file complaints. No one will be harmed – we will ensure their protection,” SP Bagmar assured. “We are also probing whether the siblings were involved in any other forms of cross-border or organized criminal activity.”an unprecedented crackdown on loan sharks, the Gujarat Police on Tuesday booked three siblings from Kutch under the stringent Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organized Crime (GujCTOC) Act, marking a pivotal point in the state’s fight against organised crime.