Demonetised notes worth Rs.8.15 crore were deposited in banks by some officials of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) between November 8-20, an enquiry panel has said in its preliminary report, prompting the Delhi government to refer the matter to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) for further probe.
Transport Minister Satyendar Jain said that some senior DTC officials could be involved in the matter, indicating that either they deposited their “bribe money” in DTC’s bank accounts or they did it for “commission”.
‘Suspend officials’
On November 19, Mr. Jain had ordered the DTC to conduct a detailed enquiry into allegations that some officers in the DTC are exchanging Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes for the smaller-value notes collected as bus fare.
“The DTC’s Chairman-cum-Managing Director has submitted his preliminary report. It shows that from November 8 to 20, Rs.8,14,85,500 in banned notes was deposited in banks — 33,647 notes in denomination of Rs.1,000 and 95,677 notes in denomination of Rs.500. I have asked the Transport Commissioner to refer the matter to the ACB for further probe and have asked him to suspend the officials suspected of being involved in the matter,” Mr. Jain told reporters.
The Minister said he was made aware of the issue in a public hearing on November 19. Scrapped Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes were deposited by DTC officials in banks despite the state bus agency issuing an order on November 9 asking the conductors not to accept demonetised notes.
Mr. Jain sought to know how high-value currency notes were deposited in banks by the DTC officials if bus conductors did not accept them from passengers.
“The probe showed that most of the cash deposited was in banned notes. Rs.11.65 lakh was deposited in a bank by a bus depot staff. Out of this, 98 per cent was in old notes. At depots of West Zone, 16,593 notes of Rs.1,000 and 43,636 notes of Rs.500 were deposited in banks,” the Minister said.
