Ahmedabad Father-Son Duo Accused Of Demanding Extra ₹22.50 Lakh After Collecting ₹1.13 Crore From Businessman

Vatva mobile phone trader alleges 30% interest loan was fully repaid, but lenders refused to return 14 blank cheques and allegedly misused one to raise a fresh demand

A father-son duo has been accused of demanding an additional ₹22.50 lakh and threatening to kill a businessman in Ahmedabad’s Vatva area, despite allegedly collecting ₹1.13 crore against a loan of ₹37.50 lakh.

The 38-year-old mobile phone trader has alleged that Deepak Vasudevbhai Bharani and his father, Vasudevbhai Prabhudas Bharani, refused to return 14 blank cheques given as security even after he repaid the entire principal amount and ₹76 lakh in interest.

According to the complaint filed at Vatva GIDC police station, the accused allegedly filled in ₹22.50 lakh on one of the blank cheques without the businessman’s knowledge, deposited it in the bank and subsequently issued a notice after the cheque bounced.

Businessman Borrowed ₹37.50 Lakh At 30% Interest

The complainant, Niravbhai Sachaniya, a resident of Pushkar Hill in Jashodanagar, became acquainted with the father-son duo after they had previously rented a flat from him in Dubai.

Facing financial difficulties in July 2023, Sachaniya borrowed ₹37.50 lakh from them. Deepak Bharani operates an office in Naroda.

As security for the loan, the businessman allegedly handed over 14 signed blank cheques — four from his ICICI Bank account and 10 from his wife Bhavnaben’s State Bank of India account.

The loan was reportedly extended at an interest rate of 30%, with the businessman paying ₹4.75 lakh every month towards interest.

₹76 Lakh Interest Paid Over 16 Months

According to the complaint, Sachaniya paid ₹76 lakh in cash as interest over 16 months. He allegedly made the payments by visiting the accused's office, Deepak Motors, in Naroda.

He also repaid the principal amount of ₹37.50 lakh through a combination of online transfers and cash payments.

Of this, ₹35.43 lakh was transferred online to accounts belonging to Deepak Bharani, his father, his mother Sunitaben, their friends and various entities operating under the Motors name. The remaining ₹2.07 lakh was paid in cash.

With these payments, the businessman claimed to have cleared the entire loan and interest liability, taking his total payment to ₹1.13 crore.

Lenders Allegedly Refuse To Return 14 Blank Cheques

After settling the dues, Sachaniya reportedly asked the father and son to return the 14 blank cheques belonging to him and his wife.

However, Deepak Bharani allegedly kept delaying the matter, saying that he would locate the cheques and return them.

When the businessman raised the issue again after two months, the accused allegedly claimed that ₹22.50 lakh was still outstanding towards principal and interest.

The complainant further alleged that one of the blank cheques was filled in for ₹22.50 lakh without his knowledge and deposited in the bank. The cheque subsequently bounced, following which a bank notice was sent to him.

Businessman Alleges Death Threats, Coercive Recovery Tactics

The businessman has alleged that the father-son duo threatened to implicate him in a false case and kill him if he failed to pay the additional amount.

He also claimed that the accused resorted to persistent pressure tactics and threatened to seize his property to recover the disputed sum.

Distressed by the alleged threats and repeated demands, Sachaniya approached Vatva GIDC police station and lodged a complaint against the two men.

Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Gujarat Money Lenders Act and initiated an investigation into the allegations.