The political storm over the alleged robbery of Rs 400 crore in demonetised Rs 2,000 notes at the Karnataka-Maharashtra border escalated on Monday, with Congress and BJP leaders trading sharp accusations. The incident, which reportedly took place at Chorla Ghat in October last year, came to light only recently after Sandeep Datta Patil lodged a complaint with Nashik police.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, questioned the inaction of BJP-ruled states, saying, “We don’t know whose money it was. Let the investigation take place to find out whether it belongs to Congress, BJP, NCP or Shiv Sena. The moot question is what the BJP governments are doing. How is it that the entire activity is happening right under the nose of these three governments?”
Kharge also raised concerns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation campaign, challenging the Centre’s claims that demonetisation curbed black money. “The PM has time to speak about Gen Z and Bhajan Clubs, but he has no information about Rs 400 crore cash being smuggled in trucks. Is the Union Home Minister Amit Shah sleeping? Where is he?” he asked, hinting at gaps in government oversight.
The minister further questioned the legality of the high-denomination currency still being in circulation. “Why is the Rs 2,000 note still in operation? When it is nowhere to be seen, who is printing it and how?” he added, warning that investigative agencies seemed focused only on opposition parties.
On the other hand, BJP leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, accused Congress of misusing Karnataka as a funding hub. “Congress sends money from Karnataka for all elections because funds cannot be generated from Congress-ruled Telangana and Himachal Pradesh,” he said, also claiming delayed payments of Rs 5,000 crore under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
So far, no FIR has been filed in Karnataka due to lack of formal complaints and concrete evidence, according to Belagavi SP K Ramarajan. Meanwhile, Maharashtra police have arrested six people and formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the alleged heist.
