EOW team questions people standing in queue to exchange Rs 2,000 notes at RBI counter
Bhubaneswar (PTI): 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.
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
