In a shocking case highlighting the perils of illegal money lending, a marginal farmer from Maharashtra's Chandrapur district was driven to sell his own kidney to escape a crippling debt trap. Roshan Sadashiv Kule, a resident of Minthur village in Nagbhid taluka, filed a police complaint against six private moneylenders from Brahmapuri, alleging relentless harassment, physical abuse, and extortion that led him to the desperate act.
A Descent into Debt and Desperation
The ordeal began in 2021 when Kule, who owns four acres of farmland, faced repeated crop failures due to erratic weather. With his agricultural income eroded and formal credit out of reach, he turned to private lenders. His initial need was for Rs 1 lakh to treat his ailing cows at his small dairy, hoping to stabilise his finances.
However, the first lender charged exorbitant interest. After Kule managed to repay, the lender falsely claimed the principal was still due and took him to another moneylender. This began a vicious cycle where Kule was forced to borrow from new lenders at even higher rates to pay off previous ones. He soon found himself trapped in a nexus of six lenders who collectively charged him a staggering 40% interest per month.
What started as a modest loan ballooned into an unpayable sum of Rs 74 lakh. As the debt mounted, the accused—identified as Manish Purushottam Ghatbandhe, Kishor Rambhau Bawankule, Laxman Pundalik Urkule, Pradip Rambhau Bawankule, Sanjay Vithoba Ballarpure, and Satyavan Ramratan Borkar—allegedly began harassing him. Kule's complaint states they frequently visited his home, kept him captive, and thrashed him brutally to recover the money.
The Ultimate Sacrifice: Selling an Organ
In a bid to clear the dues, Kule first sold two acres of his land, his tractor, and household belongings. Yet, this was insufficient. Facing unending coercion, he made a desperate decision. He searched online for kidney seekers and contacted a doctor from Chennai.
Following instructions, he travelled to Kolkata for medical tests and was later sent to Cambodia through an agent. On October 14, 2024, he underwent surgery to remove his kidney. He received Rs 8 lakh for the organ—an amount that barely made a dent in his massive liabilities but left him physically and emotionally scarred for life.
Police Action and Legal Reckoning
Finally, on Tuesday, Kule approached the Brahmapuri police station and lodged a formal complaint detailing the prolonged harassment and financial exploitation. The local police, after summoning him for inquiry, registered a serious offence.
The case has been filed under multiple sections for criminal conspiracy, grievous hurt, wrongful confinement, extortion, criminal intimidation, and common intention. Acting swiftly, the Brahmapuri police have taken all six named accused into custody. The investigation is now being led by Police Inspector Pramod Banbale under the supervision of Chandrapur SP Mumakka Sudarshan.
This tragic case underscores the severe human cost of illegal money lending operations that prey on vulnerable individuals in rural India, pushing them to the brink of survival.
