SHILLONG: The cash seized in the past in connection with various criminal cases is giving the police and the treasury sleepless nights in the aftermath of demonetisation.
In the most recent case, the senior treasury officer at Shillong District Treasury on Tuesday wrote to the officer in charge of Sadar police station regarding over Rs 21 lakh kept in the treasury. Another letter was about Rs 11 lakh seized by the police.
The cash was seized in connection with cases related to Arms Act and under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in 2009 and 2012 pending at Sadar Police station.
In separate letters addressed to the officer in charge of Sadar police station, the treasury officer said as per his advice, one scaled box said to contain Rs 11,50,000 and another Rs 21 lakh are in the strong room of the office for safe custody till date.
“In view of the prevailing scenario of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series by the Government of India from November 9, it is therefore requested to examine and take immediate necessary steps or decision as to what is to be done with regards to the seized money said to have been kept in the sealed box,” the treasury officer said in the letter.
The copies of the letter were also sent to the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner and the SP.
Recently, police were in a dilemma over Rs 50 lakh seized in 2008 from East Khasi Hills.
The police headquarters made a query to the East Khasi Hills SP on the need to exchange Rs 50 lakh due to demonetisation. The money was seized from two individuals, who were keen to sponsor the candidates for the Assembly elections in 2008, and a case was registered under Madanrting police station in this regard.
Commenting on these cases, a legal expert pointed out the dangers of exchanging the seized money which are in scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations as this will lead to tampering of evidence since the cases are pending in the courts.
