EOW team questions people in queue to exchange Rs 2,000 notes in attempt to find if they are agents for others

The EOW team reached the RBI on Wednesday after media reports stated that some people were engaged to exchange Rs 2,000 currency notes on a wage basis.

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police questioned people standing in queue to exchange Rs 2000 currency notes at the Reserve Bank of India counter here to find out whether they were acting as agents for others, an official said.

The EOW team reached the RBI here on Wednesday after media reports stated that some people were engaged to exchange Rs 2,000 currency notes on a wage basis.

The people who exchange Rs 20,000 at the RBI counter, get Rs 300 as wage, media reports said.

"We came here after media reports said that some people were engaged to get Rs 2,000 currency notes exchanged in the RBI counter. We verified the Aadhaar card of the people standing in the queue to exchange Rs 2000 currency notes and also asked them about their occupation," the EOW official said.

Another official said that many in the queue were seen holding exactly 10 pieces of Rs 2,000 currency notes.

"How come most of the people in the queue have exactly 10 pieces of Rs 2,000 currency notes? There is reason to doubt whether the people in the queue are genuine or engaged by some other to get the money exchanged on their behalf," the official said.

Apart from questioning the people standing in the queue, the EOW officials also checked the CCTV footage of the RBI which takes pictures of people in the queue.

Meanwhile, RBI Regional Director SP Mohanty said: 'No EOW official has met me. They might be enquiring about something in the queue. We will fully cooperate if any investigating agency comes to seek any clarification.' Asked why the people do not deposit their Rs 2,000 in their bank accounts instead of standing in the queue at the counter, the RBI regional director said: 'Both facilities are available.' An official said that every day they are receiving Rs 2000 notes worth Rs 2 crore, out of which, around 95 per cent is being exchanged while only 5 per cent is getting deposited in the bank accounts.