Arvind Kejriwal questions RBI on distribution of notes

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday raised questions on whether the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was distributing currency to banks in a fair manner.

“Is currency being distributed by RBI to bank branches in fair manner?” he asked.

According to media reports, the RBI has distributed Rs 42 lakh to a bank which has 4,000 customers following demonetisation. At the same time, it has reportedly dispensed Rs 3 lakh to a bank with 35 branches and a 1.5 lakh customer base.

Meanwhile, slamming the Centre for its demonetisation move, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that BJP had bought acres of land worth crores of rupees in Bihar to utilise its “black money” days before the Union government announced demonetisation on November 8.

Citing a news website report, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chaddha told reporters here that Sanjeev Chaurasia, a BJP legislator in Bihar, has admitted that land was bought in Bihar and other places “up to the first week of November.”

Mr Chaddha alleged that the deals were made on behalf of BJP president Amit Shah. He further alleged that Mr Chaurasia has also admitted that they were only the signatory authorities for such deals and the money for these transactions came from BJP.

“Some (the properties) were even bought on behalf of BJP President Amit Shah. And Mr Chaurasia said the transactions were made in different forms including cash. This clearly indicates that the BJP’s black money, their Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes, were used and Amit Shah was involved,” he said, contending that this proves that the demonetisation drive wasn’t as secret an operation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims. “BJP leaders also got rid of their black money and converted it (into white) by making abnormal banking transactions weeks before the decision was announced,” he alleged.

Mr Chaddha said that Sanjeev Kamboj, head of BJP’s legal cell in Punjab, posted pictures of the new Rs 2,000 currency notes two days before the November 8 announcement.

“Also, the West Bengal unit of the BJP made banking transactions worth crores of rupees merely six or seven hours before the Prime Minister’s announcement. I am saying this with utmost responsibility. Where this money came from, all of you know,” he added. He also said that from July to September, there had been a sudden jump in deposits of money in banks which clearly indicates that BJP had told all its friends of the impending move.