JUDGMENT :

AMIT B. BORKAR, J.

Heard.

2. Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith.

3. By this application under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the applicant has challenged the registration of the First Information Report No.0157/2018 dated 25-5-2018 registered with the non-applicant No.2 – Police Station, at the instance of the non-applicant No.3.

4. The First Information Report came to be registered against the applicant with the allegation that the applicant had advanced loans to the persons, who are residing outside the area of licence granted to the applicant. It is alleged that due to disbursement of loan to the persons outside area of licence, many farmers are denied the benefit of loan waiver scheme of the State Government. With the said allegations, an offence under Section 41 of the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act, 2014 (for short “the Act of 2014”) was registered against the applicant.

5. The applicant, therefore, filed the present application challenging registration of the First Information Report. This Court on 1st August 2018 issued notice to the non-applicants for final disposal.

6. The non-applicant No.3 in pursuance of notice, filed reply and it i