Thugs exchanging fresh notes for soiled ones at steep premium are back exploiting the gullible
A kadak gang member (the woman) at RBI at Fort. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Three months after mid-day’s exposé on the ‘Kadak’ gang, its members are back on the street outside the RBI office in Fort. The gang members were again found exchanging old currency with new, crisp notes for a commission of 5 per cent to 30 per cent. The city is flooded with marriage functions and crisp notes are in high demand.
Taking advantage of this, the gang has been selling notes at high rates.
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On Friday, a mid-day team again visited the RBI Fort area where around six to seven saree-clad women, members of the gang, were spotted. In November 2022, mid-day exposed the Kadak gang following which the MRA Marg police conducted an in-depth inquiry to find the sources of these new crisp notes but are yet to get anything.
No fear of authorities
On Tuesday, mid-day reporters went to the RBI office area which is highly secured with more than 30-40 CCTV cameras and security guards around it. But Kadak gang members were freely roaming there without any fear of cops or RBI officials. On Friday, the team noticed that the Kadak gang members were not standing in a group but separately near the RBI office. Several pedestrians were seen interacting and exchanging currency notes with them. They also had crisp notes of Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50 and Rs 100 for exchanging. The deals of exchanging also happened on the street near the RBI office.
Also Read: Meet Mumbai’s ‘kadak’ gang
Sources told mid-day that the new rates for notes are increased because the marriage season is on in the city and crisp notes are highly in demand. Earlier, the reporter posed as a customer and met agent Hemlata Chaurasiya who was selling these notes in the locality along with 5-6 other women. On Friday mid-day found other Kadak gang members at the same spot.
Business is up
Sources told mid-day, “Earlier Kadak gang members sold bundles of Rs 10 notes and took Rs 350 commission but now it has increased to Rs 400. For Rs 20 notes they charged Rs 120 and now they charge Rs 140-Rs 150. For Rs 100, Rs 500 notes they charged R100 while now for them they charge Rs 120-Rs 130. Due to the marriage season in Mumbai their rates have increased. Currently, Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes are highly in demand in the market.”
Assistant Police Inspector Anil Lavate, attached to the Zone -I of Mumbai police, who was appointed to trace the gang following mid-day’s report said, “We had carried out searches for these gangs in the past but had not found them. If they have returned, we will surely take action against them.”
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