Missing notes surface, mystery continues

The 500-rupee denomination currency notes, said to be from the lot printed at the Mysore-based Bharatiya Reserve Bank Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL) and missing for about a year, have started surfacing in Mysore and districts closeby.

A fifth such Rs 500 denomination note came to light when a Mysore resident, Sannaraje Gowda, went to the LIC for remitting Rs 10,000 to his account. Cashier Narasimhaswamy traced the note bearing No. 9BN204204 and informed the BRBNMPL Employees' Association president and former MLA A Ramadas on June 10. One Sannaraje Gowda's brother-in-law had handed over the amount to him after selling paddy at Srirangapatna.

This has been brought to the notice of the CBI authorities in Kochi, who are investigating the mysterious disappearance of Rs 50 lakh of Rs 500 currency notes of the BRBMPL on July 29, 2004, says Ramadas.

This is the fifth Rs 500 denomination missing note to make its appearance in the last one month and the eighth so far. A few days ago, a note had been found at Nanjangud during a remittance.

While transporting currency notes of Rs 5 crore to Thiruvanathapuram from Mysore, a consignment was found having wooden pieces instead of 10,000 currency note bundles of Rs 500 denomination.

This had led to serious allegations and suspension of a few BRBMPL employees. Subsequently. The CBI had taken up the investigation. The enquiry is on. Since then, Ramadas has been demanding suspension of six officers of the BRBMPL, alleging their involvement and revoking the suspension of the workers.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank has convened a meeting in Bangalore on July 16, inviting the representatives of the management, employees' union and the government officials. This meeting is in the wake of a letter written by Ramadas to the Union finance minister.

Ramadas told the Business Standard on Tuesday that "if the meeting fails to be fruitful, we will continue with our agitation."