Indian currency with jihadi messages: Centres tells SC, ‘will look into it’

New Delhi, Jan 08: The government has told the Supreme Court it would look into allegations that the Reserve Bank of India's Jammu branch had exchanged currency notes to the tune of Rs 30 crore that were embossed with Kashmiri separatist slogans.

The court sought to know if the central agencies had done anything on the issue. The allegation was made in a PIL that was filed by one Satish Bharadwaj.

The Bench asked the government whether notices should be issued or would it look into the issue on its own. Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta said that the government would look into the matter.

The petitioner contended that he had inquired and found that currency notes worth Rs 30 crore were exchanged with fresh currency by the Jammu regional branch of the RBI. He said that these notes were defaced and imperfect. The money belonged to a separatist group, the petitioner also alleged.

He also said that no claim can be made against currency which is imperfect or mutilated. He also said that notes that carry any extrinsic words or visible representation which is intended to convey any political message cannot be claimed.