In an interview with TimesTech, Anurag Mehra, Founder of Expert Panel, discusses how the platform is transforming India’s debt resolution landscape. Born out of the Covid-19 credit crisis, Expert Panel bridges the gap between borrowers and lenders by combining technology, legal support, and ethical recovery mechanisms to protect consumer rights while promoting fair financial practices across the ecosystem.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: How did the idea for Expert Panel originate, and what gap in the financial ecosystem were you aiming to bridge?
Anurag: The idea for Expert Panel emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic when loan defaults had surged exponentially, and we realised there was no real support system for consumers struggling with debt. While every stakeholder in the financial ecosystem—from banks and NBFCs to digital lenders—is focused on pushing loans to borrowers, no one was addressing the serious consequences of over-lending. What also stood out was the imbalance of power between consumers and financial institutions. Lenders are large, well-resourced entities, while borrowers often find themselves helpless when facing recovery harassment. Recovery-related abuse in India is unfortunately widespread, and many consumers are not even aware of their rights. Expert Panel was founded to bridge this gap—empowering borrowers with both technological tools and legal support to resolve debt issues ethically and safely.
TimesTech: Can you elaborate on how the Anti-Harassment Service (AHS) works and how it helps protect borrowers from recovery-agent harassment?
Anurag: When borrowers miss EMIs, they often face relentless recovery pressure, receiving dozens or even hundreds of calls daily—many of which turn abusive or intimidating. Our Anti-Harassment Service (AHS) is designed to give borrowers relief from this mental stress. Through a simple call-forwarding system, borrowers can divert unwanted recovery calls to our team. We then identify the lender or recovery agency and engage with them through official grievance mechanisms to ensure compliance with RBI guidelines. Where necessary, we file formal complaints and, if the issue remains unresolved, escalate it to the RBI Ombudsman. This system not only shields borrowers from harassment but also ensures that recovery happens through ethical, legal channels.
TimesTech: How is technology enabling faster, fairer, and more transparent dispute resolution between borrowers and financial institutions?
Anurag: Technology is playing a transformative role in making debt resolution more efficient, transparent, and fair. At Expert Panel, we leverage technology across multiple layers—from our AHS system to automated complaint filing and digital mediation through online dispute resolution (ODR) platforms. Artificial intelligence helps us identify incoming calls, differentiate between genuine lender communications and spam, and ensure that all documents are verified and authenticated efficiently. Moreover, by integrating conciliation and arbitration through online mechanisms, we make dispute resolution faster and more accessible for both borrowers and lenders, reducing friction and promoting compliance.
TimesTech: How does Expert Panel balance recovery needs with safeguarding consumer rights?
Anurag: At Expert Panel, we strongly believe that legitimate recovery and consumer protection can coexist when guided by ethics and compliance. We support lawful recovery mechanisms such as mediation, conciliation, and arbitration that align with RBI guidelines and legal frameworks. However, we actively oppose illegal practices like call bombing, abusive language, online defamation, and physical or psychological intimidation—tactics that clearly violate RBI guidelines. Our approach ensures that lenders can recover dues responsibly while borrowers are treated with dignity and fairness. If every stakeholder adheres to the RBI’s prescribed norms, this balance is entirely achievable.
TimesTech: What steps is Expert Panel taking to educate financially stressed individuals about their rights and redressal mechanisms?
Anurag: Borrower awareness is indeed one of the biggest challenges in India’s credit ecosystem. Many borrowers are unaware of their rights, RBI’s recovery guidelines, or the digital complaint and redressal systems available to them. At Expert Panel, we focus heavily on borrower education—offering one-on-one counselling sessions, regular updates through email newsletters, and awareness campaigns across social media. Our counsellors also keep borrowers informed about every action taken on their behalf, including complaint filings and progress with grievance authorities. The goal is not just to resolve individual cases but to empower borrowers with the knowledge and confidence to handle future credit responsibly.
TimesTech: What do you see as the next big frontier in digital borrower protection and ethical debt resolution in India?
Anurag: India’s financial ecosystem is expanding rapidly, yet the credit penetration rate remains relatively low. With fintech innovation and digital lending accelerating, credit access will grow exponentially in the coming years—but so will the risks of over-borrowing and irresponsible lending. The next big frontier in borrower protection lies in establishing structured, technology-driven frameworks for ethical debt resolution. The Reserve Bank of India can play a pivotal role by introducing formal regulations around debt settlement for retail borrowers—especially those without access to expensive legal counsel or awareness of their rights. As credit expands, robust borrower protection mechanisms will be essential for maintaining trust, transparency, and financial stability.
