Fake Currency Found in RBI Currency Chest, Canara Bank and PNB Under Investigation

Fake currency notes have been found in the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) currency chest, which had reportedly come from local branches of Canara Bank and Punjab National Bank (PNB). This has raised questions about how such counterfeit notes passed through the system and reached the RBI.

The issue came to light when the Manager of the Claim Section, Issue Department of the RBI, filed a formal complaint. The complaint directly blames the carelessness of officers and staff of both banks involved.

An FIR (First Information Report) has been filed specifically against Canara Bank regarding fake currency notes that were detected in January 2024. The report also mentioned that the details of these counterfeit notes should be sent to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for further investigation.

In a similar incident, fake currency was found in March 2024 from the Surya Nagar branch of Punjab National Bank. This prompted authorities to register another case against the officials of this particular branch.

According to the DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) City, when fake notes are found inside the RBI’s currency chest, it is treated as a serious case of bank negligence. The responsibility for verifying currency before depositing it with the RBI lies with the respective bank branches. If counterfeit notes are found, it means the verification process was not done properly.

At present, the police have launched a detailed investigation to find out how the fake notes passed through the system. They are also checking if it was due to human error, lack of proper checking, or if any employee was knowingly involved.