New Delhi, Aug 7: The BJP on Friday clarified that the proposed charges on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions would not be imposed on ordinary users and would apply only to commercial transactions.

The clarification came a day after the Lok Sabha passed a Bill to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, authorising the government to permit banks and other service providers to levy charges on payments made through UPI and other notified electronic payment modes.

Speaking to media, BJP MP Ashok Mittal said, “First of all, I would like to clarify that charges on UPI are not being imposed on the common man. They will only apply to commercial transactions. The charges on UPI will only be applicable to certain business-related transactions and not to ordinary users.”

BJP Bihar President Sanjay Saraogi also sought to allay concerns, saying the move would not place any burden on the general public.

“UPI has brought a digital revolution to India. Whether traders, street vendors or cart vendors, everyone has used UPI and contributed to the country’s growth. The law has only been enacted now. The extent of any charges and the manner in which they will be implemented will be decided later when the rules are framed. The RBI or the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will have to take a decision on the matter,” he said.

Janata Dal (United) MLC Neeraj Kumar Singh defended the proposal, arguing that payment systems require sustainable business models to continue functioning effectively.

“If you want to make a transaction through UPI, what is wrong with paying a charge for it? If you have obtained a GST number for business purposes and want to carry out transactions, then you have to pay for the system. UPI was initially in an experimental stage and there were no charges. If a fee is introduced now, there should not be any issue because every business model has to be sustainable. The government is still providing significant relief to the people,” he told media.

However, the proposal drew criticism from the Opposition. BSP MLA Satish Kumar Singh Yadav said, “It seems that everything is being taxed now. Soon, the government may even impose a tax on speaking and listening. There are taxes on everything — eating, drinking, travelling and sleeping — and now even on UPI. It feels like every aspect of life is being brought under taxation.”

The amendment, passed by the Lok Sabha without discussion amid uproar, seeks to remove the existing legal provision that prevents banks and payment service providers from charging Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on notified electronic payment modes.

The government’s approach aims to levy small charge on digital payment services for consumers and small businesses while ensuring a sustainable revenue model for banks, payment service providers (PSPs), and payment infrastructure firms that drive the digital payments ecosystem.

Bhopal/Narsinghpur, Aug 7: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar on Friday demanded a fast-track trial and the harshest punishment for the accused arrested in the alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in the state’s Narsinghpur district, while police said they would seek the maximum punishment in the case.

The demand came a day after 28-year-old Annu Yadav was arrested for allegedly abducting, raping and murdering the Class III student in Gotegaon area of the district.

In a statement, LoP Singhar described the incident as “heart-rending” and alleged that the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh had failed to ensure the safety of women and children.

“The abduction, rape and brutal murder of an eight-year-old innocent girl is extremely painful. The incident has shaken the entire Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

The Congress leader demanded that the case be tried in a fast-track court and the accused be awarded the strictest punishment.

He also sought justice, financial assistance and all possible support for the victim’s family.

“The safety of daughters cannot be ensured through hollow speeches and claims. It requires a strong law-and-order system, speedy justice and an accountable government,” Singhar said.

Meanwhile, Narsinghpur Superintendent of Police, Rishikesh Meena, said the investigation was progressing swiftly and the police would press for the maximum punishment.

“Our investigators and prosecutors will work for the sternest possible punishment for the arrested man. We will get the trial fast-tracked and work towards securing the harshest possible punishment,” Meena told media.

According to police, the girl went missing after school on Wednesday, following which multiple teams were formed to trace her.

During the investigation, she was found to have been last seen with her neighbour, Annu Yadav.

The accused allegedly tried to flee on a motorcycle when police tracked him down but was caught after the vehicle skidded off the road.

Police said he initially tried to mislead investigators but later allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning.

The accused allegedly went to the girl’s school during the lunch break and told her that her father had sent him to take her home. He allegedly took the child to a nearby forest, raped her and strangled her before fleeing.

The girl’s body was recovered on the basis of information provided by the accused, police said. Police said that further investigation was underway.

New Delhi, Aug 7: Criminal syndicates, including the network run by Dawood Ibrahim, have long been involved in circulating fake Indian currency notes.

Backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), these networks have treated counterfeit currency as one of their most profitable operations for years.

Indian security agencies have now detected a significant shift in the way counterfeit currency is being pushed into the country. Investigators say the circulation of fake Rs 500 notes has declined sharply, pointing to a change in the strategy adopted by the counterfeit currency network.

Earlier, the network primarily focused on counterfeiting Rs 200 and Rs 500 notes. Agencies have now found that the emphasis has shifted to lower denominations, with fake Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50 notes being circulated in large numbers.

The circulation of counterfeit currency not only finances these criminal syndicates but also poses a threat to India’s economic stability. Officials say this is one of the key reasons why Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has continued to facilitate the trade, much of which is allegedly orchestrated through the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate.

An Intelligence Bureau official said there are credible intelligence inputs indicating that Pakistan’s ISI is planning to flood the market with counterfeit currency in lower denominations. According to the official, the strategy is to circulate fake Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50 notes in much larger volumes than before.

“There are multiple reasons behind this newfound strategy. These elements are aware that people are extremely cautious about notes above Rs 100 denomination and will conduct a detailed check before accepting them. However, that is not the case when it comes to smaller denomination notes,” the official said.

People are generally less cautious when handling Rs 10, Rs 20 or Rs 50 notes and rarely stop to check whether they are genuine or counterfeit. That is precisely what these networks are seeking to exploit, the official said.

Officials said the syndicates believe lower denomination counterfeit notes are less likely to attract attention, making them easier to circulate in large numbers without raising suspicion.

Another official said that the period up to April 2027 will be crucial.

The biggest push would be made by these gangs to circulate fake notes of smaller denominations during these months. India plans to roll out polymer or plastic bank notes by 2028. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that polymer bank notes in the denominations of Rs 10 and 20 will be rolled out in 2028.

While the primary objective of introducing polymer notes is to increase their lifespan to nearly four times that of existing paper currency, they are also expected to offer significantly stronger security features. Officials say the enhanced anti-counterfeiting measures will make the notes far more difficult to replicate.

The plastic substrate allows for advanced security integrations which are impossible on paper. These new notes would have transparent windows, specialised metallic links and micro-optic holograms which would make them extremely difficult to forge.

Before this roll out, it is suspected that the ISI-backed gangs may look to ramp up circulation of counterfeit notes of the smaller denominations in the country.

Officials say that these gangs would focus increasingly on notes of smaller denominations. Once the rollout is complete in 2028, these syndicates would look to target the Rs 50 and 100 notes more compared with the notes of the Rs 500 denomination, the agencies warned.

The RBI has repeatedly issued instructions on how to spot a counterfeit note. The apex bank says that the small denominations may not have a high value, but are used more frequently in daily transactions. This makes them a common target for fraud, and hence citizens must be more careful while dealing with such currency, officials point out.