Police must help banks take possession of liquidated property: Bombay High Court
The recent ruling by the division bench of Justices A M Khanvilkar and R D Dhanuka came on a petition which alleged that police did not provide protection to the officers of Kolhapur-based Ravi Cooperative Bank for taking possession of a property.
Petitioner Tulsidas Narsinga Vhatkar had bought the property in an auction conducted by the bank. According to him, after the auction, the bank requested the Superintendent of police to provide protection for the purpose of taking possession from the original owner.
But the SP, relying on a Supreme Court decision, said it would not be possible. The petitioner on the other hand cited Maharashtra Government's circular of January 2008 which directs police authorities to give assistance/protection to the officers of the Cooperative Department.
Agreeing with the petitioner, the judges held: "If Respondent No 1 (liquidator of the Bank) seeks assistance/protection to enable him to take steps and perform his statutory duties, we fail to understand as to how the decision of the Apex Court would come in the way of the Superintendent of Police to provide assistance and protection to the Government servant for discharging his statutory duty."
"It is not the case of the bank that forcible possession is being taken over by other than a due process," the
