NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Crime Branch police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against four persons, unknown bank officials and government servants on charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in connection with the seizure of over Rs 1 crore, majority of the cash in denominations of new currency notes.
Police has identified the four accused as Yellappa Ingale, native of Bagalkot, Karnataka and presently residing at Uppar Bazar, Ponda, Farooq Pirzada, residing at Panditwado, Ponda, Siddappa Kappanavar from Chimbel and Ramesh Narvekar from Merces.
Recently, there were two recent incidents wherein the police had seized large amount of new currency notes. In the first instance, Crime Branch police had seized Rs 35 lakh (1,715 notes of Rs 2,000, eight notes of Rs 500, 639 notes of Rs 100 and 42 notes of Rs 50) at Ponda.
According to police, lngale had disclosed that the currency belonged to Pirzada. During the inquiry conducted by PI Vishwesh Karpe, both Ingale and Pirzada were unable to provide satisfactory reply with regard to possession of the new currency with them.
In the second incident, Porvorim police had seized Rs 70 lakh (all new notes of Rs 2,000). In the inquiry conducted by PI Paresh Naik, Kappanavar and Narvekar chose not to cooperate with the investigating agency and also could not provide satisfactory reply with regard to possession of the new currency with them, police have claimed.
According to the police, there is reasonable suspicion that the new currency notes of such magnitude have been availed by them illegally in connivance with some bank officials.
The above-mentioned incidents of organised crime of illegally exchanging new currency notes in large scale reveals that some bank officials are involved in the racket and there is a well-oiled machinery of agents and subagents including government officials illegally holding and dealing in exchange of new currency notes for taking commission from acquaintances for getting their old notes exchanged.
According to the police, the above-mentioned illegal act of disbursing new currency notes from banks in large numbers to an individual cannot be accomplished without a prior criminal conspiracy since the announcement made by the central government on November 8 with regard to the demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.
Based on the inquiries, an FIR has been registered following a complaint lodged by Crime Branch PI Dattaguru Sawant on behalf of State.