Justice to loan shark victims will be ensured: DPM Shrestha

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said the government would ensure justice to the victims of extortionate money lending at any cost.

"I assure you that the government caters justice to the victims of extortionate moneylending," DPM Shrestha said before the victims who were staging sit-in at New Baneshwor on Sunday. He reiterated that efforts to cater justice to the usury victims would not stop.

DPM Shrestha further made it clear that although the government had readied the bill to present in the parliament so that it would open a legal measure to book those imposing usury, bill did not advance. "Bill is in parliament. It is not rejected. Process to pass it will be forwarded and law made," he explained.

He also reminded that before issuing the ordinance to this end, the government had formed a commission to probe usury in order to address victims' demands. According to him, a facilitation committee involving public prosecutors and representatives from victims were still working in this regard.

Nearly 25,000 complaints were lodged at the probe commission. Investigation into the complaints was begun. Among them, nearly 1500 complaints were investigated and verdict issued in victims' favour.

As per the verdict, some of those imposing usury returned the house and property to the victims. The DPM underscored that this initiative would not be obstructed. The usury is a residue of feudalism, so the government is effortful to extirpate it, he committed.