Moved by mid-day’s series of reports on the unspeakable miseries of the borrowers of instant loans apps, state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil discussed on Wednesday the new menace with the top brass in Maharashtra police and joint CP (crime) of Mumbai police. During an hour-long discussion, he also patiently listened to mid-day’s journalists, who explained the findings of the investigation done by this newspaper. The minister has asked the top cops to show results in 10 days.

Walse Patil called Madhukar Pandey, ADG, Maharashtra Economic Offences Wing and Cyber, Suhas Warke, Joint Commissioner of Mumbai police (Crime), and Sanjay Shintre, SP, Maharashtra Cyber to Shivgiri, his official bungalow at Malabar Hill, on Wednesday to find ways to rein in the unscrupulous digital lending firms. mid-day’s Faizan Khan and Diwakar Sharma were also asked to join the discussion.