Unidentified persons on Tuesday ransacked the office of a private finance firm on Kamaraj Salai after dubious notes were allegedly detected in revolving funds distributed to self-help groups in Kottaimedu near Ariyankuppam.
Police sources said that 11 women belonging to various self-help groups in Kottaimedu were given revolving funds ranging from Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000 by the finance firm for starting self-employment ventures.
Ramya, wife of Senthil Kumaran of Kottaimedu, on reaching home was shocked when she realised that one of the notes in the denomination of Rs.500 had a forged seal on it.
She contacted other members of the group who had received assistance and found that a few of the currency notes given to them looked like forged ones.
On learning about the incident, Ramya’s husband Senthil Kumaran, along with a few other members belonging to a Tamil fringe outfit, picked a quarrel with the employees of the firm on Wednesday over the detection of a forged note. The group ransacked the premises and fled the scene.
The police have registered a case against the private firm under 489 c (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes) of the Indian Penal Code.
The police have also registered a case against Senthil Kumaran and others on counter-complaints lodged by the finance firm.
Police sources said that one of the currency notes distributed to the members was forged while the others were genuine.
Further investigations are going on.