Sandesh Prabhudesai
12 September 2000
A Goan teenager is still languishing in a jail of Nepal while his two friends have just been released, thanks to the total irresponsible attitude of the Indian authorities. No steps are taken to tell those crossing the border that carrying Indian notes of Rs 500 denomination is a crime there.
"We are not criminals, carrying fake notes. We carried our real notes, out of ignorance", says Gaurish Shirodkar, 22-year old college drop out, who reached Goa last week, after spending 12 days behind the bars and fighting unsuccessfully in the Supreme Court for the release of his friends later.
Working as a part-time marketing executive at the Royal Goan Beach Club, Gaurish, along with 24-year old Darshan Vaingankar and 25-year old Shekhar Chari, were arrested at Thankot check post while entering Kathmandu on 11 August, for carrying 7, 35 and 100 notes each respectively of Rs 500 denomination, totalling Rs 71,000.
Accumulating Rs one lakh through hard work - his part-time job and garment trade -last year, Gaurish decided to go to Kathmandu this time to purchase quality garments at cheaper rates, with a plan to double his savings. He has lost everything today, with his hard-earned money lying idle in the Nepali coffers.
"Neither the tourist information centres nor any authority at the border check post at Sonali in UP informed us in any manner about the new law in Nepal", says Gaurish in disgust. As Chari was carrying 100 such 'banned' notes, he was sentenced to two- month imprisonment while Darshan is released on 11 September, after spending one month in a jail, for carrying 35 notes.
As a remedy to stop smuggling of fake currency notes of Indian currency into Nepal, it was a mutual decision between both the neighbours, enforced from 16 July, to ban notes of Rs 500. But its thoughtless implementation has made innocent people real victims of it while Indian authorities feel it not necessary to alert the tourists crossing Indian border.
"There was no help from Indian embassy till the news appeared in the local newspapers, including Kathmandu Post", says Gaurish. He is more thankful to the local journalists there, who tried hard for their release, besides Adv Ram Kumar Shrestha, who knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court, free of cost.
"The police at the check post as well as officials of the Revenue Investigation Department also sympathised with us, but had no option when the Kathmandu Zilha Adalat sent us to Charkhal jail at Dillibazar", says Gaurish. He was then introduced to Adv Shrestha.
Arguing for two long hours in the Supreme Court of Nepal on 28 August along with a top lawyer Adv Balrai, they objected to banning any foreign currency partially, in violation of the Currency Act. It was also argued how anybody could be punished for carrying banned notes, which are reduced to a piece of paper, having no value.
Instead of giving any verdict, the Supreme Court unfortunately directed them to approach the appellate court (the high court). Though disposing of the case there may take much longer than the period of sentence, Adv Shrestha is preparing the papers to help Gaurish get his hard-earned money released.
As the Indian embassy in Kathmandu has now helped them even monetarily to travel back (Darshan is yet to arrive), Gaurish is attempting here to approach the central authorities through local BJP MP Shripad Naik. Chief minister Francisco Sardinha, running a coalition with the BJP, had also agreed to help, but no steps are taken.
Meanwhile, Indians carrying real notes are still filling the Kathmandu jail. Says Gaurish, "while I was leaving, another 20-year old boy from Sikkim joined us in jail for 15 days. He came down to meet his sister there, carrying Rs 4500…."
Your Comments Please
