The Wise Guy

Year 1986. I was in the Nagpur zone.Posted as Investigating Officer.

In the news paper Nagpur times news items started appearing about corrupt practices by a Manager of a city branch , ie financing for Auto-Rickshaw vehicles indiscriminately and getting undeserved money. Naturally the matter came to me and I found that more than 100 vehicles were financed by the branch within a year . Though we could locate very few vehicles in the city, we were not able to lay our hands. That time these vehicles were carrying attractive premium and the bookings were done in the name of non existing /fictitious borrowers and after delivery of vehicles they were sold out to others clandestinely. The addresses found in the records of Road Transport Authority were false. The touts were canvassing borrowers to approach Bank.

I received information about few drivers/owners camping at a shabby lodge in the Central Avenue and along with a staff I knocked their room door very early in the morning. I have seen 3 vehicles right down the building. There were 3 persons inside, yawning and struggling against disturbed sleep. They stood like statue when I said that I am a police officer inquiring banks loan cases. I asked them to produce Registration certificates and similar details. While their statements were recorded by my staff, one guy wanted my credentials to be seen. I waved at him my D L book

with a photo in uniform. They assured that they will clear the loan and will get the vehicles transferred in their names

through some agents.we got their photos taken and copies of all documents. While we were about to leave they offered tea which we rejected politely.They also told us that they will try to find out the whereabouts of other vehicles which were sold out by other persons and were plying in far away places. All of them accompanied us to the courtyard where my Driver was waiting for me. The guy who enquired my credentials then whispered in my ear..." Saab aapne jo dikhaya woh aapka I D nahin. Woh toh aapka driving laison (license ) tha. "I could not stop laughing. I asked the Wise Guy ... Theek hai, tumko kuch problem hai? and he said a big NO (These persons paid off the loan totally and with their help we could locate all touts and most of the borrowers and could recover amount worth lakhs. And one more thing ...this guy only had asked my credentials in my whole official career and he is an illiterate driver )