When on
8th November, the Prime Minister announced the demonetization; the
prime cause behind it was stated to abolish the corruption. People of the
nation also welcomed this announcement. But as the time passed the nation
witnessed a new form of the corruption. This was the corruption of the banks.
During conversion of old 500 and 1000 rupee notes into new notes some corrupt
bank officials earned crores of rupees. It is often suspected that whether it
may be the issue of rising NPA or the suspected transaction of huge amounts, it
may not be possible without the involvement of some bank officials. Fresh cases
of turning black money into white have in fact proved the existence of corrupt
elements within the banking system.
After
the demonetization taking stern action against financial irregularities the
Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided on Wednesday more than 50 bank branches
across the country. ED started this drive on 50 branches of 10 banks including
both private and public sector banks. These raids were conducted at Delhi, Mumbai,
Bangaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai along with other cities. Records of
such bank branches are being investigated where the old notes have been
deposited in large number or huge amount have been deposited in the accounts at
one time or several times. The
Directorate has now made the third arrest in the money laundering investigation
related to the said note conversion in conspiracy with the Axis Bank officials.
ED has
arrested Chartered Accountant (CA) Rajeev Kushwaha under the provisions of
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On Wednesday the CBI has arrested a
senior manager of Central Bank of India and two proprietors of a company in
Bangaluru for said contravention of RBI guidelines relating to the cancellation
of 500 and 1000 rupee notes. After the demonetization a SBBJ Bank cashier in
Dausa in Rajasthan came in limelight for exchanging rupees one crore without
using any ID for it. In this case the role of two other bank officials is also
suspected. CCTV footage has revealed various secrets in this case. It is
revealed that the cashier had taken 22 per cent commission i.e. Rupees 22 lakh
to convert rupees one crore for his two friends residents of Jaipur and Dausa.
The amount has been credited to his account at one time. We are unable to
understand how the consignments of new notes are being caught in the entire
country?
On one
hand the poor public is standing in queues outside the ATMs and banks to
withdraw their own money, on the other hand new currency notes worth crores of
rupees are being confiscated? On Thursday the Income-tax department have raided
at eight places in Chennai and seized Rs. 90 crore in cash and 100 kgs of gold.
This 90 crore includes the demonetized money and new currency notes. Since the
decision of Central Government of demonetization, cash crisis has not been
solved so far.
General
public stranded for hours in the bank queues, yet the many influential people converted
their currency by their sources. Almost one week ago a lineman of electricity
department had visited an entrepreneur’s house at Sector 51 in Noida for some
work. After finishing the job he asked for money, and the wife of that
entrepreneur handed him over an old 500 rupee note. Since the lineman familiar
to the entrepreneur, so he told her that these notes are out of circulation
now. But if you’ve no new notes, you may pay later. Besides he told that aren’t
you getting the new notes? I can get them. To testify his claim the lady gave
him a packet of 500 rupee notes (Rs. 50,000) for exchange. Within three hours
the lineman handed over the lady an amount of 50 thousand in 2000 and 100 rupee
notes and said that if she wants to exchange more notes he can also do that.
Though the
conversion of such a huge amount easily amidst
the problems of people being pushed for just Rs. 2000 outside the banks and ATM
may be astonishing, yet the conversion of notes in banks for capitalists and
big bureaucrats has been easier even in the cash crisis due to some corrupt
bank officials. Whenever the banks are supplied with new notes, a low
percentage of it is disbursed among the public. Rest of huge amount is kept
either for some special persons or for conversion by taking huge commission. In
a meeting held in the state office of the Delhi BJP Traders’ Cell, the
representatives of major trade organizations in Delhi have to say that bank
officials are large defaulters since while the common trader is facing problem
in withdrawing money from savings and current accounts, the huge arrival of new
notes in market indicate the alteration of banks and bank officials.
After
the demonetization the traders shared their experiences with BJP’s National
Vice President Shyam Jaju and the State BJP President Manoj Tiwari. It has been
reported that a local BJP leader in Kolkata has been arrested with new notes
worth Rs. 33 lakhs. The whole amount was in new notes of Rs 2000. The arrested
leader Manish Sharma is a resident of Raniganj in Burdwan district. He has been
arrested along with six coal mafias. Weapons have also been seized from them.
Lastly the
Government is talking about the making total payment through PayTM. After
demonetization the government is emphasizing on online payment transaction. Yet
it’s a fact that a little carelessness on your part may be beneficial for the
culprits. A bag shopkeeper in Shahdara area met with such an incident. E-wallet
using Lokesh Jain was paying his electricity bill via Paytm. He was asked OTP
(One Time Password). Just after giving the OTP an amount of Rs 17580 was siphoned
off from his PayTM account.
After
demonetization more and more people are making transaction just through PayTM.
even the PayTM is not safe. Banks have derailed the object of abolishing the
corruption. If the Government is in a dilemma today, these banks are also
responsible to a large extent for it.
-
Anil Narendra
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