Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 2 lakh found during Diwali cleaning shocks Indian family - What to do with them?

Diwali cleaning at a home in India revealed a bundle of Rs 2,000 notes hidden inside a DTH box. The notes are now discontinued, and the family is wondering what to do with the money. A Reddit post about the discovery is going viral, with the photo showing a stack of Rs 2,000 notes. The post on r/indiasocial has been titled "Biggest Diwali Safai of 2025". Now the person is asking other users what to do with them, and if there is a solution to the problem. “During Diwali cleaning, my mom found Rs 2 lakh in old Rs 2,000-rupee notes, hidden inside an old DTH box, probably kept there by my desi dad back in demonetisation times. We haven’t told him yet. And please suggest how to proceed further,” the Reddit user wrote.

The post is gaining widespread attention since the notes are no longer in use. Some people saw the humour in the situation, saying the father will get his own "Diwali surprise" when he learns about the money. Another user offered a practical way to utilise the money. The Reddit user advised either going to the RBI main office in Mumbai to deposit the money or visiting the local post office. However, the stipulation is that only an amount up to Rs. 20,000 is accepted in a day, following the lengthy procedure. Which means, the family would have to make multiple trips to the post office to deposit the whole amount in instalments.

What to do with Rs 2,000 notes?

The Narendra Modi government introduced the Rs 2,000 notes after the 2016 demonetisation, when Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes became invalid. The new notes were also officially withdrawn from circulation as per the RBI’s Clean Note Policy on May 19, 2023. People had until October 7, 2023, to deposit or exchange the notes. According to official information, if someone still has Rs 2,000 notes, they can send them to any of the 19 RBI issue offices, or send them to the RBI through India Post.