Nithinraj suicide: UP resident detained in Noida following multi-crore loan app probe

KANNUR: The Crime Branch has arrested a telecaller from a Noida-based illegal loan application firm in connection with the suicide of Nithinraj, a student at the Anjarakandy Dental College.

The accused, identified as Sourav, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended by a special investigation team following a brief scuffle near his workplace in Noida. According to police officials, Sourav was responsible for making relentless, threatening phone calls to both Nithinraj and his professor, Dr. Latha Sashidharan, demanding repayment of the loan taken through the application.

Subsequent investigations into the firm, VP Securities, revealed that the company orchestrated a multi-crore financial racket operating through an online platform named 'Instant Funds'. The agency allegedly targeted vulnerable borrowers by charging an exorbitant usurious interest rate of 36 percent.
This arrest marks a significant breakthrough in an ongoing crackdown on predatory lending networks. Earlier this year, in April, the Crime Branch arrested three key operators of the firm: Rishikesh Tiwari, Prashanth Kheval, and Prakash Jai.

The operation was executed under the direct guidance of Crime Branch Superintendent of Police, P. Balakrishnan Nair. A dedicated team consisting of Inspector Sreejith Koderi, Sub-Inspector Madhusoodanan, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Pramod tracked the suspect down to Uttar Pradesh.

The transit procedures were completed earlier this week, and the accused was brought to Kannur on Friday for further interrogation and legal proceedings. Local authorities are continuing their investigation to uncover the wider network of individuals involved in the predatory lending chain.