The Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) on Wednesday arrested Adesh Choudhary, a contractual driver working at Punjab Nationwide Financial institution’s foreign money chest in Saharanpur, in reference to the alleged conspiracy behind the restoration of counterfeit Indian foreign money notes with a face worth of ₹17.29 crore from the financial institution facility, a press be aware from the company confirmed.
Choudhary, a resident of New Nandpuri Colony in Saharanpur, is the second key accused arrested by the NIA within the case after the company took custody of PNB official Amit Kumar on September 7. His arrest widens the probe past the financial institution officers already beneath scrutiny to the folks concerned in dealing with and motion of money on the foreign money chest.
The case originated on August 29, when Saharanpur police obtained details about the restoration of counterfeit notes value ₹17.29 crore from the PNB foreign money chest. The preliminary inquiry additionally introduced three financial institution staff beneath the scanner, following which the financial institution suspended them.
The unique FIR was registered at Sadar Bazar police station on August 29 beneath Part 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The NIA re-registered the case on September 3 and took over the investigation.
On September 7, the NIA arrested Amit Kumar, supervisor of the Jagadhri foreign money chest. He was one of many three PNB officers whose alleged involvement surfaced throughout the preliminary inquiry. The opposite two officers beneath scrutiny are senior divisional supervisor Ravi Kumar Kanse and Sofia Market foreign money chest supervisor Sushil Kumar. All three had been suspended by the financial institution after their alleged involvement got here to mild.
The investigation is inspecting how the counterfeit notes reached the Saharanpur foreign money chest and whether or not the suspected faux foreign money was moved by way of the formal banking system earlier than its detection. Investigators are additionally reconstructing the motion of foreign money previous the invention. A ₹111-crore consignment was reportedly despatched from Saharanpur to the Reserve Financial institution of India’s Jaipur workplace on July 6 by way of the currency-handling community.
The consignment comprised 1,900 bundles of ₹500 notes and 800 bundles of ₹200 notes. Investigators are inspecting the dealing with, packing and dispatch of the money to ascertain at what stage counterfeit notes entered the foreign money chain.
The probe can be wanting into whether or not any suspected faux notes had been despatched onward to financial institution branches or ATMs earlier than the irregularity was detected.
With Choudhary’s arrest, the NIA is now questioning the roles of each financial institution personnel and different people who had entry to or had been concerned within the motion of foreign money on the chest. The company stated its investigation was persevering with to unravel the whole conspiracy and establish and arrest the remaining accused and suspects.
