Fake currency notes with face value of ₹18 lakh seized, two arrested

Noida: Two men were arrested on Tuesday after fake currency notes with a face value of about ₹18 lakh were recovered from their possession, police said.

The suspects were identified as Manoj Shah, 40, a native of Darbhanga in Bihar, and Satyendra Upadhyaya, 30, from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh.

Rajesh S, deputy commissioner of police, Noida Zone 1, said that the suspects were presently living in Faridabad. “Police had information that the suspects were involved in cheating people through fake currency notes. On Tuesday, police received a tip-off about their movement near Barola T-point and arrested them red-handed,” he said.

Fake currency notes (in denominations of ₹500, ₹200 and ₹100) with a face value of ₹17,96,400 were recovered from them, police said, adding that some real notes worth ₹3,600 were also recovered.

Vishal Kumar, in-charge of Barolla check post, said the gang had a unique modus operandi to cheat people. “The suspects used to roam around in Delhi-NCR and strike a conversation with people. They would tell their victim that they had some fake currency notes which looked almost real. Then they exchanged fake notes having face value of ₹15,000 with real notes worth ₹10,000 from the victim,” Kumar said.

Kumar further said that in fact those fake notes were not fake. “The suspects used to give real notes to the people to take them in confidence. People used to circulate those notes in the market without any hurdle and again contacted to supply more fake notes,” he said.

But this time the suspects would play the trick. “The suspects used to buy fake notes in bulk from Chawri Bazar in Delhi. They placed only two original notes on the front and back and properly sandwiched the fake notes in the bundle. They used to fix the deal with the victim to exchange real notes worth ₹5 lakh with fake notes having a face value of ₹18 lakh. The suspects used to call the victims for the exchange in a crowded market so that the victims could not count the money,” Kumar said.

The two suspects told police that they had been involved in this racket since March last year after they lost a job during the lockdown. “It is believed they have cheated several people of ₹20-30 lakh in the last few months,” police said.

A case has been registered against them under Section 420 (cheating) of IPC. The suspects were produced in court and sent to judicial custody.