Page 112 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

33. Discovering a smart recovery

tool

Turning a guarantor against the borrower
These were the days of terrorism in Punjab. One evening, I returned
home late. My wife told me that there were two sturdy Sardarjis in a
Jeep asking to meet me and they would come again. She said they were
ferocious looking and I should be careful in talking to them. They
appeared again after a short while. Their jeep driver carried a very big
fruit basket that would last for several weeks for a small family of mine.
I asked them to introduce themselves. They were middle aged persons
and informed politely that they were borrowers for a fleet of goods
vehicles at the branch currently headed by me. They had come to discuss
with me about repayment of the loan account which had become
overdue after they got my legal notice.

I put a pre-condition for going ahead with discussion to remove the fruit
basket first, to which they readily agreed. Then I asked them to take a
seat. They assured me that they would adjust the loans within a year.
The business was slow for a year and now it had picked up. I asked them
to meet me in the branch office the next day and check how much
overdue amount they were required to clear immediately and the rest
they could repay as per agreed repayment program.

Then they disclosed the purpose of meeting me urgently at my residence
saying, "One of our relatives had given guarantee in this loan case. The
bank has served legal notice on him also. He has reached our house and
is insisting on clearance of bank loan otherwise he along with his wife
would stay there without food and water as long as written clearance
letter from bank is not shown to them." They further added, "We are in

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