People Pay ‘Commission’ To Exchange ₹2,000 Notes In Bhubaneswar; EOW Questions Depositors

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police conducted an inquiry on Wednesday into the long queues outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) office in Bhubaneswar, where people were seeking to exchange Rs 2000 currency notes. While EOW officials remained discreet about their purpose at the scene, one official mentioned that their visit aimed to understand the reasons behind the extended queues, without any specific complaints received. They sought to ascertain the volume of currency being exchanged and the occupations of those in line.

Some individuals waiting in line reported receiving Rs 300 for exchanging Rs 2000 notes with a face value of Rs 20,000. It’s worth noting that many of these individuals were unaware of the identities of those offering the payment for the exchange.

While there is no official confirmation regarding the authenticity and source of the currency notes being exchanged at the RBI, the Regional Director of the Central Bank revealed that they were receiving Rs 2000 notes worth Rs 2 crore daily. Of this amount, approximately 95% was being exchanged, with only 5% being deposited in bank accounts.

When asked about the possibility of this being an attempt to convert black money into white, the RBI Regional Director suggested that law enforcement agencies could investigate such matters.