Two men, allegedly a part of a “well organised” racket of counterfeit Indian currency, were arrested by the Delhi Police special cell with fake notes with a face value of ₹6 lakh, the police said on Saturday. All of the notes were of the ₹100 denomination.
Identified as Sanjeev (31) and Arvin (35), both of whom are residents of Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, were arrested on the morning of February 17 from Sonia Vihar in north-east Delhi, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (special cell).
Supply in UP, NCR
According to the police, both the accused indulge in circulating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), which they received from eastern UP-based sources. They then supply these notes to prospective buyers in different States, particularly within different districts of UP and the NCR.
During questioning, the duo revealed that their eastern UP-based sources procured the notes from Nepal, with the source being Pakistan, and that the supply and circulation of FICN has significantly increased over the last two to three months, Mr. Yadav said.
“Due to the circulation of high-value new currency notes in India, the general public normally doesn't verify the genuineness of currency notes of ₹100. The recovered currency notes are apparently so fine that in day-to-day dealing, it is difficult to identify them as FICN,” said Mr. Yadav.
According to the police, the arrests came in pursuance of a dedicated drive launched by the special cell against racketeers indulging in circulating FICN. In a similar operation on January 27, the special cell had unearthed a module from which FICN in denomination of ₹2,000 amounting to ₹19.22 lakh was recovered.
According to the DCP, it was during the same drive that the special cell mounted technical and manual sources, leading to the arrest of the accused duo.
“In that process, specific information was received that a racket comprising criminals of various districts in Uttar Pradesh are involved in circulating fine quality FICN and its members would assemble near the Traffic Signal, Nanaksar Gurudwara in Sonia Vihar at about 6 or 7 a.m in a Haryana registration Santro Car and deliver FICN to some buyers,” Mr. Yadav claimed.
Police raid
This led the police to constitute a raid team and lay a trap. At about 6:35 a.m, the police claimed, a Santro car was located coming from the Tronica City side before halting near the traffic signal. One of the accused Arvin, who was driving, came out of the car carrying a bag on his shoulder and waited while Sanjeev remained seated inside.
Finely printed
According to the DCP, after about 20 minutes of waiting, Arvin moved towards the car. Members of the raiding party then overpowered both the accused. The bag carried by Arvin was found to have FICN of ₹100 denomination amounting to ₹2 lakh and the search of the bag carried by Sanjeev was found to contain FICN in the same denomination amounting to ₹4 lakh.
“The recovered notes are printed finely and very much resemble genuine currency notes,” Mr. Yadav added.
