CBI registered 84 probes into illegal exchange of currency

NEWDELHI: Post note ban, the CBI registered 77 cases and seven preliminary enquiries (PES) involving illegal exchange of currency to the tune of ₹395 crore.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said in all the cases, the agency had arrested 21 public servants and 26 private persons. In all, 307 persons (183 public servants and 124 private persons) were found to be involved. The agency has filed charge sheets in 12 of these cases, which relate to fraudulent exchange of demonetised notes at commercial and co-operative banks (59 cases), post offices (18), railways (five) and one case involving an insurance company.

After the government announced scrapping of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes on November 8 last year, the agency has acted on 500 references from general public and the government so far.

During the probe, the agency found that in many cases, new notes received in normal sale or transaction were being replaced by old notes that were to be deposited in banks on behalf of these organisations. At post offices, the accused resorted to manipulation or destruction of records. Investigators also found evidence of forgery of documents to open bank accounts to deposit old currency. These were then transferred to other accounts in many cases.

“CBI director Alok Verma has given top priority to the investigation of demonetisation cases in a fixed time frame,” said Dayal.

CBI SPOKESPERSON SAID THE AGENCY HAD ARRESTED 21 PUBLIC SERVANTS AND 26 PRIVATE PERSONS