The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police conducted interviews with individuals waiting in line to exchange ₹2,000 currency notes at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) counter to determine if they were acting as intermediaries for others, according to an official statement.
The EOW team arrived at the RBI on a Wednesday in response to media reports suggesting that some individuals were engaged in exchanging ₹2,000 currency notes on a contractual basis, receiving ₹300 as compensation for exchanging ₹20,000 at the RBI counter.
“We initiated our inquiry based on media reports indicating the involvement of individuals in exchanging ₹2,000 currency notes at the RBI counter. We scrutinized the Aadhaar cards of those queuing up for currency exchange and also inquired about their professions,” explained the EOW official.
Another official noted that many individuals in the queue were holding exactly 10 pieces of ₹2,000 currency notes, raising suspicions regarding the authenticity of the queue, as it appeared that some might be acting on behalf of others in these transactions.
In addition to interviewing those in the queue, EOW officials also reviewed the RBI’s CCTV footage, which captures images of individuals waiting in line.
Meanwhile, RBI Regional Director SP Mohanty stated, “No EOW official has approached me. They may be conducting inquiries related to the queue. We will provide full cooperation if any investigative agency seeks clarification.”
When asked why individuals did not deposit their ₹2,000 notes into their bank accounts instead of queuing at the counter, the RBI regional director responded, “Both options are available.”
An official mentioned that they receive ₹2,000 notes worth ₹2 crore daily, with approximately 95% of them being exchanged and only 5% deposited in bank accounts.