Theft at Dewas Bank Press

NK SINGH

Notes, notes everywhere. Crisp, fresh and smelling of printer's ink and riches. This is the scene at the Government-run bank mote press at Dewas, a fast-emerging industrial town near Indore. But, alas, you can't simply pick up any of these, or even a single one, and walk away unnoticed! The security arrangements are too tight for that.

"It is a foolproof arrangement," said PS Shivaraman, general manager of the press, which is one of the two plants other is at Nasik - printing currency notes on behalf of the Reserve Bank of India. However, like every good security printer, he declined to give further details. "The security of the security is in keeping it secure."

No outsider is allowed inside the printing plant, situated in a jail-like compound with wired fencing, which is probably electrified, though the security guard who accompanied me from the inner checkpost to the GM's office only blinked when asked about it. He would neither confirm nor deny it. The 1500 workers except the supervisory staff, are thoroughly screened before entering and leaving the plant, which is certainly airconditioned. It is called 'naked search' in industrial security jargon, where they may strip even your underwear.

Once inside the security is even tighter. 23 cameras keep a constant vigil over every nook and corner of the plant. In addition, five cameras, functioning round the clock, are focussed outside the press, watching the activities of every person coming in or going out. If any suspicious going-on is noticed on the closed circuit TV it is immediately photographed. Every worker is aware of the fact that his activities are constantly watched." This creates a psychological safeguard against the temptation to steal," said Shivaraman.

But despite such tight security the workers are sometimes tempted to steal. In its three years of existence, there have been two cases of theft at the Dewas Press.

The first was in November 1976 when four fifty rupee notes were found missing. Security staff later nabbed an employee who allegedly confessed to having smuggled the notes in his mouth.

The second case of theft took place in January this year. This was a bigger theft, of 1,500 rupees. Fifteen 100-rupee notes in the 5 rupees. AS (number 558486 series to 558500) were found missing when at the fag end of the day the bundles arrived in the packing section for the final counting. Before this, the bundles had passed through various sections and several hands. The entire staff was held up until 9.30 pm, but since the security personnel were unable to pinpoint the responsible persons, they were allowed to go.

Interestingly, Shivaraman blamed labour trouble "and the consequent indiscipline" for the erosion of the security system at his plant. "Even if we detain someone for questioning, the unions make such a big fuss nowadays!" he complained. Constant labour trouble at the plant, he alleged, had endangered its security. "Notes would be lying on the table and the workers would go to the toilet or for tea."

Now, however, after the second theft security measures have been tightened. "We have become more strict," said CP Singh, the chief security officer, "though there is a constant vigil and discarding the earlier leniency we make a thorough naked search."

However, workers complain that it is only they who are searched. The supervisory staff is not. What if they indulge in theft? "In most of the earlier cases, at Nasik, it was generally the supervisory staff which was found responsible for underhand practices," claim the union leaders.

Onlooker

August 16, 1978