₹1.9 cr seized in a fortnight, but only 1 case lodged, zero arrests made

Over the past fortnight, the Gurgaon police recovered ₹1 crore unaccounted cash in seven different cases. While no one has been arrested in any case so far, only one FIR has been registered, that too involving a bank official.

Over the past fortnight, the Gurgaon police recovered ₹1 crore unaccounted cash in seven different cases. While no one has been arrested in any case so far, only one FIR has been registered, that too involving a bank official.

Queues persisted on Wednesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

On November 28, 20 days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation move, the police started a drive against illegal hoarding of cash. About ₹15 lakh in scrapped currency was recovered from one Pramod Gupta, a resident of Subhash Nagar. On interrogation, Gupta disclosed that the money belonged to a property dealer from whom he got it on 30 percent commission for exchange. The case, the police said, was referred to income tax department for further inquiry.

In the six subsequent recoveries, police seized both scrapped and newly introduced notes. In all, ₹64 lakh in scrapped notes of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes and ₹35 lakh in ₹2,000 notes was recovered, the police said. The money was either being transported to be exchanged or was already exchanged, the police said.

In all these cases, police have not lodged an FIR. The only incident in which a case has been lodged against four persons, including two employees of HDFC Bank, is the one in which ₹10 lakh of scrapped notes was exchanged for new ones, as disclosed during one of the money seizures.

The accused were charged with cheating, theft, dishonestly receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy at Civil Lines police station.

“The police zeroed in on the two bank employees through one Sunil, who was arrested with ₹10.96 lakh in old notes during a routine check in Sanjay Gram area in Civil Lines on November 30,” said a police spokesperson. The FIR was lodged in the case after directives from police headquarters to set a precedent.

“We are questioning the accused. We will soon come to know how the money swapping is being done,” said Amit Kuhar, deputy commissioner of police, crime, Gurgaon.

In all other cases, Kuhar said, police handed over the cash to income tax department that will probe them in accordance with the law.

“We are inquiring the cases of undisclosed cash as per the requirement,” an official said.

Box

Unaccounted money

Dec 13: ₹7.92 lakh in ₹2,000 notes seized from a person near Rajiv Chowk

Dec 12: ₹3.15 lakh in scrapped notes seized from a canter laden with capsicum near Pataudi.

Dec 8: ₹10 lakh in ₹2,000 notes and ₹100 notes recovered near Islampur village.

Dec 7: ₹17 lakh in ₹2,000 and ₹100 denominations seized from three persons travelling in a WagonR in DLF Phase 2 area.

Nov 30: ₹10.96 lakh cash in scrapped notes seized in Sanjay Gram

Nov 29: ₹35 lakh in scrapped ₹1,000 notes recovered from a Mercedes Benz sedan near Galleria Market

Nov 28: ₹15 lakh unaccounted cash in old notes seized from a person in New Colony.