When the flow of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) had worried both Central and State governments, particularly as it is hitting hard to the country’s economy, the cops of the Moradabad police had refused to take up the case of counterfeit notes which are supplied in the Punjab National Bank branch in Kanth more than seven years back.
Interestingly, despite of the concern shown by the finance ministry, chief vigilance officer of the bank and other officials concerned, the local police not just refused to investigate the matter but also filed a final report citing fake information. After the above sensational fact came to light during the probe by Information Commissioner, Hafiz Usman, he also directed DIG Moradabad range and later IG of the same range to conduct an enquiry and submit a report. However, when even the two officers failed to draw any conclusion in the matter, Usman claimed to have now directed Director General of Police (DGP) Zaveed Ahmed, to get the probe completed within month from some other district and submit report for necessary action.
Usman, when contacted on Wednesday afternoon claimed that he ordered a probe from some other district as he was surprised that on one hand the police made no probe into the matter despite of the issue is related to national concern of large scale supply of FICN, but on the other hand, the bank clerk who brought the matter to the knowledge of his seniors, had faced departmental action and lost his job, without even making a probe into the matter.
According to reports, the PNB branch at Kanth in Moradabad, had tried to lodge a case of recovery of FICN of Rs 500 denomination with the local police but when the cops refused, the bank went to the local court and on it’s direction, the cops at Civil lines Police station received an application on August 20, 2008. As per the application filed under the Right to Information Act, the concerned investigating officer, instead of collecting the credible evidences from bank, i.e taking the forged impounded notes in the custody of the police, manipulatively submitted false and fabricated Final Report in the court.
Finding the dubious role of the cops, the ministry of finance and CVO of Punjab National Bank, and senior manager of PNB (Kanth Branch) had sent a registered letter on October 7 and again on October 14, last year to get the matter registered but the station house officer of Civil lines police station refused to do so. Not only this, the cops also returned the FICN which was sent to them for probe citing that as per the RBI guidelines, no cognizance should be made in recovery of less then five FICN. However, the complainant claimed that the cops had made fake claims as when the said FICN were recovered in 2008 and a complaint was lodged by bank, no such guidelines has been issued by the RBI. The complainant said that the cops had done nothing in the matter and later to conceal their negligence, they cited RBI guidelines.
Sources further said that the local police in their defense claim that six of the nine notes, which are said to be fake, are just torn and were not fake and that they could not take cognizance of remaining three fake notes as per the RBI guidelines, so a final report has been sent. Interestingly, the court even rejected the Final Report after which re-investigation has been made in the matter but the cops draw same conclusion. Circle Officer of Civil lines, Mahesh Kumar, who conducted a probe into the matter on direction of Usman, had said that the cops fault was that they never took the FICN into their possession to send them for examination and draw a conclusion on fake notes on their own just to save the culprits. Mahesh said that similarly, when PNB handed over an application to get a case registered, the cops not took cognizance. The officer also informed Usman that action against the guilty cops has been taken and re-investigation has been ordered. Mahesh also said that action against the bank cashier, who was terminated from job, has been taken in another matter and not in connection with FICN as claimed by him. However, Usman, said that he was not convinced with the reply as well as action taken in the matter so far, so he directed DGP to initiate proceedings so that stern action could be taken against the guilty persons.