New Delhi, June 16 -- The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the State Bank of India (SBI) and other banks for subjecting ordinary borrowers to what it described as "borderline harassment" while processing small loans even as they remain "casual" in sanctioning massive loans to larger entities that often end up defaulting. A bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan said it was increasingly noticing a troubling pattern in the banking sector where stringent scrutiny was reserved for individuals seeking loans for personal needs, whereas large-value loans appeared to be sanctioned with inadequate assessment of repayment capacity. "We indicate that it is coming to the notice of the court that the banks in general, including respondent no.1-SBI, are casual in granting loans of huge amounts to bigger entities but at the same time very demanding apropos small loans where ordinary people come for personal requirements, yet subjecting them to more stringent conditions and a tedious process, which may amount to, in certain cases, borderline harassment," said the bench in its recent order. While dismissing a petition filed by a Haryana-based company that had defaulted on an Rs.8.09 crore loan availed from SBI, the court nevertheless expressed strong displeasure at the functioning of banks and urged India's largest lender to revisit its policies. The bench specifically called upon SBI to consider making the loan process "easier and fairer" for common man and those belonging to weaker economic sections.P10...