RBI Belapur increases security amid alleged Rs 2000 note exchange facilitation

A day after LokmatTimes.Com reported the presence of individuals outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Belapur office, offering to exchange Rs 2000 notes for a small fee, the security measures at the bank have been heightened.

In addition to the central bank’s own security staff,  local police personnel were also seen to have been deputed to manage the situation.

On Thursday, the queue appeared more orderly, with police personnel, including women officers, efficiently handling the crowd.

A young individual, who travelled from Lonavala to exchange Rs 2000 notes amounting to Rs 64,000, shared that security personnel informed him that new tokens would be issued at 12 noon. Initially, around 400 tokens were distributed in the morning, causing some visitors to express frustration, citing difficulty in coming early due to other commitments.

Another person waiting in line commented, "I am standing in queue for a token and have brought along a friend to exchange all Rs 2000 notes, as one person can only exchange a maximum of ten notes." However, he was surprised to observe that a significant portion of the people ahead of him seemed to be facilitated by agents.

Sudhir Dani, the founder of Alert Citizen Forum, a local NGO, acknowledged that the situation has slightly improved in the last two days following the report by LokmatTimes.Com. "The queue is shorter and more disciplined, with police personnel dispersing the crowd," Dani noted.

However, he emphasized the need for the RBI to conduct an inquiry into citizens who exchanged more than Rs 20,000 in cash. Dani added, "The intended purpose of withdrawing Rs 2000 notes to combat corruption and black money is futile if notes can be easily exchanged with the assistance of agents."