PANJIM: The Rs 1.05 crore cash in new currency notes seized by Goa Police came from transactions made in markets and not from anywhere else. The role of bank officials in the racket is now ruled out.
Crime Branch investigations reveal that the Rs 35 lakh seized from Ponda belongs to a businessman from Mangalore who is in the fishing business. The other haul of Rs 70 lakh belongs to more than one person from Panjim market. It is learnt that largest share belongs to a caterer, and the rest was from a chicken centre owner, two matka agents and two fishermen.
All the currency seized was in Rs 2000 denomination notes whose serial numbers were not in any continuous series, indicating that the money was collected from the market, a senior Police officer said.
Sources said that no one has come forward to claim the Rs 70 lakh, whereas a businessman from Mangalore has claimed Rs 35 lakh.
There have been allegations that the amount disclosed by Goa Police is less than the amount seized. Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Karthik Kashyap has served notice on Police Inspector Vishwesh Karpe, who had confiscated the cash from Ponda, asking for a written explanation as to why senior officers were not informed prior to the raid and also after the raid.
