At 11:35 am, Ved Prakash Malhotra, the chief cashier of the Sansad Marg department of the State Financial institution of India, was speaking to a buyer in his cabin. Immediately, his cellphone quantity 45486 rang.
As quickly as Malhotra picked up the cellphone, the opposite finish mentioned, ‘Prime Minister’s secretary PN Haksar will speak to you.’
Within the not too long ago revealed e book, ‘The Rip-off That Shook a Nation’, Prakash Patra and Rashid Kidwai write, “After a brief interval, Malhotra heard one other voice on the cellphone: I’m the Prime Minister’s secretary. I wish to speak to you a few very secret mission.
The Prime Minister of India desires Rs 60 lakh to be made obtainable instantly for a secret work. She’s going to ship an individual. You need to hand over the cash to him.”
Malhotra requested him if the cash can be given towards a cheque or receipt, and the reply got here, “The receipt or cheque will probably be despatched to you later. You are taking the cash in a automobile and attain Freechurch, as a result of this cash is to be despatched to Bangladesh by an Air Power airplane. You’ll not focus on this with anybody.”
In his 26-year profession, Malhotra had by no means been given such an order earlier than. As quickly as he confirmed some reluctance in fulfilling this order, the individual on the opposite finish mentioned, “Okay, you speak to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi your self.”
A lady’s voice got here from the opposite finish, “As my secretary instructed you, Rs 60 lakh is required instantly for an necessary secret operation in Bangladesh. Make preparations to ship it instantly. I’m sending one in all my males to the place talked about by Haksar. You hand over this cash to him.”
Prakash Patra and Rashid Kidwai write, “Malhotra requested, how will I determine that individual, to which the girl replied, that individual will speak to you in code phrases and can say to you, ‘I’m a Babu from Bangladesh.’ You’ll have to reply, ‘I’m a Bar at Regulation.’ After giving the cash, you come on to my home. You may be given a receipt for this.”
Malhotra bought up from there and went straight to the cabin of his assistant Ramprakash Batra. He requested Batra, “What number of bundles of hundred rupees do you’ve got proper now?” Batra regarded on the money register and mentioned that about 180 or 190 bundles, that’s, about 1.8 to 1.9 lakh rupees.
Malhotra requested him to instantly organize for 60 lakh rupees, after which Batra went to the cabin of money in-charge Hukumat Rai Khanna and mentioned that the chief cashier wants 60 lakh rupees.
Whereas these two have been nonetheless speaking, Malhotra additionally entered the cabin. When Khanna requested Malhotra why a lot cash was wanted, Malhotra replied, “It is a prime secret job. I’ll let you know about it after the job is completed.”
After this, Batra and Khanna bought the sturdy room opened and organized for 60 lakh rupees. This cash was saved in a trunk and delivered to the cabin of head cashier Ravel Singh.