Those who are in the habit of scribbling on currency notes, beware!!! Banks in the country have started rejecting to accept such notes and customers were sent back from the banks for bringing such notes. “I went to a bank today to deposit money in our company account, but the staff at the bank returned few notes saying that he cannot accept them as someone has scribbled on them,” Sidhique, an employee at Muttrah Souq, told the Observer. Apparently, he was not aware of the disfiguration on the currency nor did he do that.
He was just another recipient of the notes at his shop inside the souq.
“It is not just me. A couple of my friends inside the souq too had similar experiences when they went to deposit cash”. The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has clarified that causing damage to the national currency is a crime and an offence punishable under the laws of the land.
Similarly, if anyone was found to be scribbling or disfiguring the currency he or she can be booked under monetary regulations.
“Disfiguring a currency note is a serious crime and can be punished under the law and people should stay away from such actions,” a source at the CBO told the Observer.
“However”, he added, “possessing a disfigured note is not an offence and can be used for buying goods or service as they continue to be legal tenders. Alternatively, they can also be exchanged at the CBO itself at designated counters.”
The CBO in a recent statement has also stated that in pursuance of its clean note policy, it has requested banks and the public not to write on the currency notes as it defaces them.