Seventy-six-year-old Sathi Bai, who made headlines in January for not having heard about the Centre’s demonetisation, passed away at Varapuzha in Ernakulam district on Thursday night. Sathi, who had stashed away Rs 4 lakh in old currency notes, realised to her horror in January that her money was no longer legal tender.
Despite efforts, she was unable to convert her old notes until her last breath.
Living all alone in a small house at Varapuzha in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, Sathi retired 20 years ago from the state veterinary department. Having absolutely no contact with the outside world, Sathi had a solitary existence, cut off from all her relatives and neighbours.
“We had formed an action committee, arranged all the documents and went to Chennai with her to get it exchanged. But there they said that the time limit was over and they needed permission from the Ministry. We also approached the ministry and gave petitions regarding this. But nothing was fruitful,” Poly TP, one of the panchayat ward member told The News Minute.
“She was suffering from heart and kidney disease, we shifted her to a care home a few weeks ago since she was very weak. We were there with her when she was shifted to hospital also. She died on Thursday night,” he added. She was receiving treatment at the Ernakulam General Hospital.
She used to get out of the house only once in a while in order to stock up vegetables and groceries.
Until two months before demonetisation, she used the new notes that the bank dispensed as part of her monthly pension.
Not once did she suspect anything amiss. That those around her forgot to tell her about demonetisation, just adds to the whole mystery.
After shops started rejecting the old currency she possessed, Sathi approached the Varapuzha branch of the State Bank of Travancore – where she has an account – with a bagful of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in the first week of January.
“That day, she was waiting outside the bank, even before it opened. She has an account here, and comes frequently to withdraw her pension. Each time, she withdraws a minimal amount,” said a bank employee.
She had a whole bunch of banned currency notes with her. We were helpless as the deadline for exchanging old notes had already passed. It has been extended only now for NRI accounts.
“When we told her the same, she was very angry and made quite a scene,” the employee said. “Even though we did not count the whole sum, I am sure it was around Rs 5 lakh or so.”
Sathi’s home was a small two-roomed house located amidst a lot of shrubs and creepers. Neighbours said that she does not like anyone entering her compound, much less her house.
Asked her about the bank incident, and Sathi stoutly denied it ever happened. “I don’t have any money with me.” After coaxing her a bit more, and she said, “Since I don’t read newspapers, I never got to know.”
After a moment and continues: “Everyone is out to deceive me. They all have an eye on my money. I don’t trust anyone.”
On getting to know her plight, the Varapuzha Panchayat Committee did offer to help her get in touch with the Reserve Bank of India, but she simply refused. Her reasoning is that since she gets her monthly pension, she really did not want anyone’s help.
Bank officials, however, say that it is now a legal offence to retain old currency notes, and in her case, a significant number of them. But Sathi refused to budge.
A police official said that Sathi's house was raided by the police and panchanyat members and Rs 4 lakh in old currency notes were retrieved.
The officer however said that since the woman is old and did not know about demonetisation, they will ask the income tax department to help her and advise her on what can be done with the money. However, she lost her life before being able to convert her money.
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