TOI photo.

BHOPAL: While investigators across the country are trying to solve mystery behind ' Children Bank of India ' notes finding its way to ATMs, an SBI’s machine in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh has reportedly dispensed a Rs 500 note of “Manoranjan Bank of India”.

A security guard of veterinary hospital in Hoshangabad who had gone to withdraw cash from a State Bank of India ATM in Hosgangabad district was in for a shock when an Rs 500 note allegedly dispensed from the machine read “Manoranjan Bank of India" in Hindi and "Children Bank of India" in English.

Komal Singh Kewat had approached the bank officials to get his note replaced, but was not heard, said sources.

Kewat said he had gone to withdraw Rs 2,000 from the ATM; one of the notes was fake. Kewat said he had initially kept the notes in his wallet and moved out of the ATM. Later when he checked them outside, he found that one of the notes was different.

The note had the same colour as original currency, and the printed figures in the same font as the original, but was certified by " Manoranjan Bank of India " with a seal of “Children Bank of India” instead of RBI. It also had "Full of Fun” written in place of the watermarks.

SBI officials maintain that all its currency chests have a very secure system to monitor quality of notes.

“Currencies received and to be dispensed by the bank, either through its ATMs or its branches are processed through state-of-the-art "note-sorting machines", said an officer.

These machines are equipped with the templates of all legal tender in the country and any note not conforming to the security features is separated as "suspect note" for further manual scrutiny. No fake note is likely to be dispensed through the bank's ATMs at any time, they said.

Hoshangabad SBI manager R K Tripathi told media that he would probe the complaint. Cash replenishment agency could not be contacted. Police say if they get an official complaint on the matter they would register and FIR under Sections 489B (using forged currency notes), 489E (making use of documents looking like currency notes) and 420 (cheating) of IPC.

