Tribals ’shocked’ with counterfeit notes during polls

Thane (Maha), Thousands of tribals, whose votes are taken for granted during elections received a ‘jolt’ this time, when they found the money they got allegedly from politicians turned out to be counterfeit.

A number of villagers, who went to the shops for making Diwali purchases had a rude shock in store, when they flashed the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, which were found fake ones, Bharatiya Banking Consumers Forum President O P Sharma said.

“According to available reports during this election a large amount of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 counterfeit notes were pushed into circulation in the rural parts especially as the hapless villagers will not know about it,” he said.

Such notes are in circulation still in the predominantly tribal talukas of Shahapur, Khinavali, Dolkhamb, Khodala, Mokhada, Talwada, Jawahar, Vikramgadh and Manor, he said.