Demonetisation: 2L shell companies transacted Rs 4,550 cr

Suspicious companies numbering 209,032 had been struck off the Register of Companies earlier this year and operation of their bank accounts were restricted for discharge of their liabilities only, an official release said on Friday. 

It said from November 9 last year, a day after demonetisation was announced, till the date of their being struck off, these companies have altogether deposited a huge amount of Rs 4,573.87 crore in their accounts and withdrawn an equally large amount of Rs 4,552 crore. With loan accounts, there was a negative opening balance of Rs 80.79 crore. 

“Disturbing factors have been identified of companies having multiple accounts with miniscule or negative balance as on Nov 8, 2016 which have then deposited and withdrawn amounts going in several crore from these accounts. 

“The accounts were again left as dormant accounts with paltry balance. As mentioned earlier, this exercise of swindling the authorities was carried-out post demonetisation till the companies were struck off. In some cases, certain companies have gone more adventurous and made deposits and withdrawals even after being struck off,” the release said. 

In one of the banks, 429 companies having zero balance each as on November 8, 2016 deposited and withdrew over Rs 11 crore and left again with a cumulative balance of just Rs 42,000 as at the date of freezing.