Gadag: The Gadag police on Sunday raided many houses and other places based on complaints about the illegal money lending business and pestering people for not paying the principal and interest.

A police officer said that they have been receiving complaints about some individuals pestering people by charging excessive interest on the loan they provided to them illegally.

"Today we formed teams and raided at 12 places in the morning. We seized unaccounted cash, blank cheques and bonds and register. Accordingly, we are taking legal action against them. We have also taken action against those who were threatening the borrowers to recover money. A detailed verification is on," the officer told reporters.

He said Rs 26.57 lakh was recovered from a money lender, Sangamesh Doddannavar, along with blank cheques and bonds and registers.

Action was taken against money lenders Yuvaraj Yellappa Karavur, Ravi Kauchageri and Manjunath from whom cash, blank cheques, bonds, register and bank passbooks were found, the officer said.

A similar action was taken by the Uttara Kannada police. They booked 39 people in nine cases of torture by the staff of the micro-finance companies. Maximum arrests were made in Mundagod town in connection with the case.