The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a former Punjab National Bank (PNB) manager from Chandigarh in connection with the recovery of fake currency notes worth ₹17 crore from the bank’s currency chest in Saharanpur.
The arrest of the accused Amit Kumar, was made by a Lucknow based team from his brother-in-law’s house in Chandigarh on Monday night.
The case was registered on September 3. According to the investigation, Kumar’s call records showed repeated calls to his brother-in-law. The case relates to the discovery of fake currency in the currency chest of PNB’s branch in Saharanpur. The irregularity first came to light when fake notes worth ₹29 lakh were detected in the chest.
ALSO READ | ₹17.29 crore fake notes reach a PNB currency chest? NIA probes possible Nepal link amid manager’s arrest
Following the initial recovery, teams from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and PNB headquarters began auditing and counting the currency stored in the chest. The first round of counting of ₹500 note bundles revealed fake currency worth ₹7 crore.
Within the next 24 hours, the value of the suspected fake currency rose to around ₹17 crore. Investigators also examined currency worth ₹1 crore that had been sent from the chest to the RBI’s Jaipur office on August 5. The consignment contained a large number of damaged and torn notes. After counting, a shortage of around ₹4 lakh was detected, according to the details.
The investigation found that some currency bundles had genuine notes placed on top, while the notes inside the bundles were allegedly fake.
ALSO READ | ₹17 cr fake currency: 21-member joint team of RBI, PNB traces cash trail
Three PNB officials suspended
A departmental inquiry by PNB headquarters had earlier led to the suspension of three bank officials in connection with the case.
Those suspended included Ravi Kumar Kanse of the PNB senior divisional manager’s office, Sushil Kumar, manager of the Saharanpur currency chest, and Amit Kumar, who was then managing the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri currency chest.
Kumar had earlier been posted in Saharanpur and was responsible for the currency chest there. He allegedly went absconding after the case was registered.
ALSO READ | PNB heist: Trio acquitted of robbery but gets 3-yr jail for possessing stolen property
The NIA subsequently took over the probe and registered the case at its Lucknow branch on September 3. Investigators began tracking Kumar and conducting searches at multiple locations in Haryana before tracing his last known location to Chandigarh.
He was produced before the special NIA court in Chandigarh on Tuesday. However, the court granted two days transit remand. Kumar is scheduled to be produced before the NIA court in Lucknow on Thursday.