Modi government shuts door on depositing old notes with RBI

NEW DELHI: The Modi government on Friday told the Supreme Court that even holding old bank notes after demonetisation was illegal and they cannot be deposited with the RBI any more.

"We are not giving that window," Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told a bench led by the Chief Justice of India refusing to extend the deadline to deposit such notes with the RBI till March 30.

He was responding to a court order asking the Modi government to explain why the RBI window was limited to only those who were travelling abroad and showed documents to prove that they were away and could not deposit by Dec 31.

A slew of petitions have been filed in court challenging the move to withdraw the RBI window despite earlier promises held out by both the Prime Minister and the RBI.