Old notes of ₹30 L face value found in exminister’s SUV

TWO ARRESTED Former minister’s licensed revolver also found in the vehicle

Two men carrying ₹30 lakh in banned currency notes in the SUV of former Samajwadi Party (SP) minister Ravidas Mehrotra were arrested in Gomti Nagar area on Monday night. A Vidhan Sabha entry pass was stuck on the vehicle’s windscreen. The former minister’s licensed revolver was also recovered from it.

The arrested men identified as Deepak of Unnao and Mobeen Khan of Lucknow.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Lucknow, Deepak Kumar said the vehicle was intercepted near the Sahara over-bridge during vehicle checking. “Banned currency notes were found stuffed in two bags. There were at least 4,106 notes of Rs 500 denomination and 947 notes of Rs 1000 denomination,” he said.

The SSP said that the arrested men failed to provide any genuine reasons regarding the presence of such a large number of banned currency notes in the vehicle. “The duo later said that the currency notes belonged to the former minister, who had asked them to get the old notes replaced through an unknown person,” said the SSP.

He said preliminary probe confirmed that the SUV belonged to the former minister. “His licensed revolver was also recovered from inside the vehicle, confirming his association with the arrested persons,” said Kumar.

The SSP added that the former minister’s name had not been included in the FIR so far, but his involvement would be probed and highlighted on the basis of the findings and the arrested men’s statements. “The income tax officials have also been informed so that they can carry out their probe regarding the unaccounted currency notes,” said Kumar.