Demonetised currency exchange; trial of accused stayed

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday stayed the proceedings against a person who allegedly exchanged demonetised currency notes totalling Rs 10 lakh for new ones illegally through a bank in 2016. Padmanabhaiah’s petition before Justice M Nagaprasanna came up for hearing and it was argued by senior counsel A S Ponnanna.

The counsel pointed out that the FIR was filed four months after the alleged incident and no reason for the delay was recorded. The PMO’s office which received the complaint mentioned 8 people in it. However, the bank’s manager was not even an accused or witness in the case, it was alleged.

The incident is alleged to have taken place in the Ramanagara branch of the Corporation Bank. A trial court had fixed continuous hearing of the case from August 1 to 3. The High Court stayed the trial till August 10.