One crore in smuggled old notes seized, its use a mystery to Surat cops

india

Updated: Aug 06, 2019 22:15 IST

The Gujarat police on Tuesday arrested a man in Surat in possession of demonetised currency worth Rs one crore from a bus coming from Mumbai.

A police spokesperson said that one Vinod Shah has been arrested. “He was carrying cash to the tune of Rs 1 crore in old currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000’’.

The old currency notes in denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 were discontinued following demonetisation announced by the Central government on November 8, 2016. While new note for Rs 500 was introduced the 1,000 note was discontinued.

Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that cash consignment was probably sent from Mumbai for exchange in Surat, which is a diamond polishing and textile hub.

The police were yet to find out the purpose of intended exchange and who was to receive the demonetised cash.

Shah, according to the police, has claimed ignorance about the seized cash. He says he was given Rs 1,000 by an unknown man who approached him with a request to carry the bag to Surat when he was boarding the bus in Mumbai.

Shah also says he doesn’t know the address where the bag full of old currency notes was to be delivered. He says he was told to carry the bag only up to the bus stop in Surat.

On a tip-off, the police stopped the private bus Shah was travelling in when it entered Surat. During the checking of passengers’ luggage, the police found a bag full of illegal cash with Shah.