Delhi-based contractors held for trying to convert old notes

The illegal conversion of old currency notes with the new ones is still ongoing even after the banks have refused to take the demonetised currencies. On Thursday, Ghaziabad Police detained three persons with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 scrapped currency notes worth Rs 31.65 lakh. The accused were Delhi-based construction contractors and came to Ghaziabad to get their old currency exchanged with new ones with 50 per cent discount, said police officials.

Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil said: “We received a call that some persons at Shalimar Garden area are scuffling and they are suspected to be gathered to exchange old currency notes. We immediately put the cops to action and in a successful car chase held three persons with Rs 31.65 lakh in demonetised currencies. We have called the income tax officials. The department would take the legal action against them.

The accused three persons have been identified as Paramjit Singh, Rishi Kapoor and Shyamvir Singh. During police interrogation, they told that a person named Atul called them to Shalimar Garden and offered to exchange the old bank notes with new ones at 50 per cent discount. Atul tried to snatch the entire money and some persons present there called police following the scuffle.