Narendra Joshi, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) who holds an Indian passport, was held with his friend by customs officers at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for carrying Rs 75,000 in old notes. Joshi had flown in from Washington DC. Jasbir Singh Saini, an American Passport holder, had flown in from Boston. Both had come to India to attend Pravasi Haryana Divas, completely unaware of the obstacles they would be have to face for carrying merely Rs 75,000 in old notes.
A customs official told The Quint that they have been given instructions to deny entry to any NRI carrying above Rs 25,000 in old notes.
Joshi says that he didn’t deposit old notes in the banks when he last visited India on 9 November. This time, he was carrying around Rs 30,000 in old notes for some friends, which he would hand over to their family members in India. The rest of the money belonged to a friend who was visiting India after 5 years.
The RBI’s press release dated 31 December 2016 stated that an NRI can make a one-time deposit in the central bank in the new year.
Joshi wasn’t aware of this ruling when he came to India in November.
When he was detained at the IGI Airport for 3 hours, Joshi was made to fill forms seeking his personal details by the customs officials.
The customs officials also told Joshi to consult a lawyer for further assistance, instead of questioning him on the spot. They said that Indian passport holders and NRIs are only allowed to carry Rs 25,000 in old notes. For any amount larger than this, they have to explain the source of the money in court.
Demonetisation is like an albatross still hanging around many individuals’ necks. Ironically, people who choose to convert old notes legally are the ones who suffer, rather than those who skirt the law.
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
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