NEW DELHI -- Battling the opposition's criticism on its sudden move to ban the big currency notes to check black or untaxed money, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das on Friday said the people who are indulging in or colluding with money laundering or converting black money into white will not be spared.
"Those indulging in or colluding with money laundering or converting black money into white will not be spared," Das tweeted.
"Trails being pursued by agencies. Coordinated action underway. Result already visible. Will be more visible in coming days," he said.
In the biggest seizure of cash in new currency post demonetisation, the Income Tax department on Thursday confiscated over ₹4.7 crore during searches in a dozen premises in Bengaluru and other locations.
Also the Delhi Police on 23 November seized over ₹3.5 crore in high value demonetised currency notes from three persons in north Delhi's Kashmere Gate.
On 20 November, a man was detained on west Delhi's Tikri border while he was driving towards Haryana in a SUV with a bag containing ₹49,96,000.
On 18 November, Nazer-e-Alam, a resident of Gorakhpur, was arrested with ₹96 lakh in old currency notes of ₹1,000 denominations. He was carrying a bag with ₹96 lakh and couldn't offer any satisfactory explanation for possessing such a huge amount of cash.
On 17 November, police had seized 500 demonetised notes of ₹1,000 denominations from an employee of a West Bengal-based firm, onboard Sealdah-Delhi Rajdhani train.
Police had detained a paediatrician with ₹69,86,000 in ₹100 denominations in central Delhi's Paharganj area on 16 November.
Hola Mohalla festival
(01 of11)
Open Image Modal"One of the five temporal seats of Sikhism, Anandpur Sahib located in Ropar district in Punjab, is the main place associated with festival of Hola Mohalla. It was here in 1699 that the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singhji started the Sikh panth. There is a magnificent Gurudwara atop a hilltop referred to as Keshgarh Sahib. The river Sutluj flows on the southern side forming a boundary with beautiful Himalayas in full panoramic view." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(02 of11)
Open Image Modal(03 of11)
Open Image Modal"Nihang Baljeet Singh was displaying his archery skills during 1998. His yellow robes and a very antique-looking bow and arrow and other weapons of war he was carrying on him made me capture this moment against a clear blue sky. A polarizer was used on the roll film camera with Kodak 400 asa film." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(04 of11)
Open Image Modal"This one was shot with a film camera in 1999 during the Tricennetary celebrations of the Khalksa Panth, this horse rider with a Neza (pointed weapon) used in tent pegging was gracefully displaying his martial art skills." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(05 of11)
Open Image Modal"In this shot I was experimenting with the photographic technique of ‘panning’. After many unsuccessful attempts, I finally got a shot of an elderly horseman in motion." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(06 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2010, this picture has a story behind it. Nihang Gulzar Singh, who is in his 70s, insisted that I give him an instant print, which he wanted to carry home for his family. After a lot of struggle and several explanations, I told him it was not possible to give him a print of his photo, which was his precondition for a photoshoot. I told him I would instead mail him at the earliest if he would give me his mailing address. I kept my promise but was not sure whether he received it or not. I also didn’t see him after that date even though I am a regular at the festival and know many of these warriors. The pink colour on his nose and his orange turban are the highlights of the photograph." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(07 of11)
Open Image Modal(08 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2012, this one was shot in a nihang camp where they were dressing up and getting ready for the final day of the festival at Charan Ganga Stadium. Some were tying their turban, some twirling their moustaches, some getting ready with newly stitched clothes. The ‘Khanda’ is evident on all the three warriors’s forehead, the symbol of Sikhism." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(09 of11)
Open Image Modal"Anandpur Sahib is referred to as ‘holy city of bliss’ and is mainly surrounded by semi-urban towns and villages. During the three-day festival, the town comes to life with lakhs of devotees converging here to pay their reverence to the 10th Guru. Devotees arriving in cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles are offered community kitchen food (langar) enroute to the gurudwara by the villagers." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(10 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2015, I had especially purchased a 85mm lens for potraite of Nihangs. Here is an exciting study of young and the old warriors." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(11 of11)
Open Image Modal"Langar or community kitchen is an integral part of Sikh culture. Villages which are situated on either side of the major roads leading to the gurudwara have makeshift arrangements for devotees. Freshly cook food is served free of cost with love and devotion and without any discrimination of caste, creed, colour and religion. Here village folks, men, women and youngsters are seen preparing langar. This is shot with a Nikon fisheye 10.5mm lens." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)