"You Don't Go After Big Fish, Harass Poor Farmers": Supreme Court To Bank
NDTV
The Supreme Court has pulled up the Bank of Maharashtra for challenging an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directing it to accept the One Time Settlement (OTS) proposal of farmers.
The Supreme Court has pulled up the Bank of Maharashtra for challenging an order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directing it to accept the One Time Settlement (OTS) proposal of farmers and issue them sanction letters, saying the bank does not go after big fish but is only harassing poor farmers.
A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant took note of the High Court order and said that there is nothing wrong with it and will not interfere with it.
"In the facts and circumstances of the present case, we are of the view that the direction of the High Court is eminently just and fair. Hence, it is not necessary for the Court to exercise its jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution. The Special Leave Petitions are accordingly dismissed. However, the question of law is kept open to be dealt with in an appropriate case", the bench said in its order passed on May 13.
During the hearing, the bench said, "You don't go after big fish and only harass poor farmers, who have paid 95 per cent of the amount. These farmers took the loan and accepted the offer of quantified amount under the OTS scheme and deposited 95.89 percent of Rs 36.50 lakh within the stipulated time".