The Kankhal police in Haridwar recovered demonetised currency notes amounting to Rs 4.33 lakh on Wednesday from a coin picker who dives in the Ganga river daily to pick up the coins and metal items to earn his living. It is learnt that 300 demonetised currency notes of Rs 1000 denomination and 125 demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 denomination were seized by police. While being questioned, the coin picker, a youth, confessed that he had found the demonetised currency wrapped in a cloth bag tied to a brick on the Ganga's bank. He further said that while he was drying the wet notes in front of a heater some of them had got burnt.
Speaking of the matter, the police station house officer Anil Kumar said that the youth had drawn attention of police when he was found trying to use the old currency notes in the market. “We were of the view that someone might have given him the old currency notes. He identified himself as Arvind Biswas who earns his living by picking coins in the river. He further said that he had found the bag containing the demonetised currency on the bank of the river. We have informed the income tax department. Investigation is on in the matter,” he said. He further said that the accused had confessed to have given Rs 10,000 to someone on credit and Rs 3000 to a ration vendor. Some of the notes had been burnt in the heater, added SHO.
While talking to the media persons, Biswas said that he had been diving for coins and other valuable items in the Ganga river since childhood to earn his living. According to him, he had spotted a ‘potli’ (cloth wrap) on the evening of December 19 from behind Birla Ghat when he was roaming around after he collected some money and copper pieces worth about Rs 150. He said that, curious, he had opened the bag and found the old currency notes worth Rs 4.33 lakhs stashed in it.