TURA: The special intelligence unit of the BSF here seized Rs 29.73 lakh in new currency notes from two persons from Assam near the international border on Wednesday.
The duo, travelling on a two-wheeler, was intercepted outside the border village of Nokchi, 8 km from Purakhasia, as they were passing through the Barengapara-Dalu border sector. They have been identified as Nasib Miya and Bilal Hossain, both residents of Pubergram village in Assam’s Mankachar.
When they were frisked, the BSF team found Rs 29,73,205 in Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 currency notes as well as some Rs 100 notes. When asked about the money, the duo said it belonged to a cloth merchant in Assam and was meant to be handed over to a coal exporting company at Gasuapara.
However, the persons could not explain how such a large amount of new Rs 2,000 notes was obtained by the cloth merchant when bank withdrawals have been limited to Rs 24,000 a week post demonetisation.
The availability of such a huge amount of money, particularly the new Rs 2,000 currency notes, by an individual has raised questions about the loopholes in the demonetisation exercise and the possible involvement of bankers in the illegal activity.
