RBI MINT'S staff booked for pilferage

An offence was registered against an employee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), after two Rs 20 coins, yet to be circulated in public, were found in his workplace locker.

According to MRA Marg Police, the mint officials received information that there were some coins in the locker of an employee named R Chabukswar. Immediately, the mint's deputy bullion officer and other Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officers who were on duty, were called.

Around 3am on Friday, the locker was opened in the presence of Chabukswar and two coins of Rs 20 denomination were seized. Following the seizure, on a complaint by mint officials, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the MRA Marg police station under the IPC section of theft by servent (381) against Chabukswar. "We have registered an offence. HOWEVER, no arrest has been made so far, we have give a notice to accused," said Ananda Hodage, senior INSPECTOR, MRA Marg police station. "It is too early to ascertain the motive, however, our investigation is underway," said another officer. The mint operates in two shifts and every employee is checked thoroughly, while entering and exiting the premises. All the employees have been allocated lockers to keep their belongings. Earlier in March, the finance ministry had announced it was introducing a new coin, of Rs 20 denomination, almost 10 years after issuing a Rs 10 coin. The new 12-edged (dodecagonal) coin was expected to be put in circulation in April. But this could not happen because of the pandemic-induced lockdown.