Police to deposit seized old notes in banks

New Delhi: The Delhi police is reportedly opening more than a dozen bank accounts in the name of the district DCP (deputy commissioner of police) to deposit scrapped currency worth several crores, which was seized as case property in different cases.

A senior police official, who did not wish to be named, said that they had around Rs 20 crore in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 which they had to deposit in the banks.

“This huge cash is case property seized by the Delhi police in several cases. It was kept in the maalkhana of the police stations. In most of the cases, the cash is given back to the persons to whom it belongs after the court’s permission. But post demonetisation, this cash has become nothing but junk and senior police officials were worried as to what to do with this money,” the official said.

The senior police officials discussed the matter with the legal cell and they were advised that the demonetised currency notes, which were seized as case property in different cases, should be deposited with the banks.

“The legal cell directed us to open accounts with the banks in the name of the concerned district DCP. We were also advised to take permission from the concerned magistrate,” he said.

On the request of the police, the district court directed the banks to take this money, which is no longer a legal tender, as deposits. Officials said that the courts had arra-nged for the money to be videographed before directing the police to deposit the same at the banks. The courts have also ma-de an inventory of such money.

The police official said that most of the currency seized as case property will now be deposited with banks and they will be given new notes.