In Pune, fake currency worth Rs 55 crore seized

Pune : Fake currency notes of value Rs 55 crore have been seized from a bungalow in Pune. The officials say, the total value may increase as the counting of currency was underway.

The cops have arrested six men, including army personnel; they are now being interrogated and will be presented before the court by afternoon.

The busting and seizure of fake currency notes has been done under a joint operation by the Pune Police and Military Intelligence.

The arrested men were identified as Lance Naik Shaikh Alim Gulab Khan, a member of the Indian Army bank at Bombay Sappers, Sunil Badrinarayan Sarda, from Kondhwa area of Pune, Ritesh Ratnakar from Kamothe in Navi Mumbai, and Tufail Ahmed Mohammad Ishaq Khan, Abdul Gani Rehmtullah Khan and his son Abdul Rehman Abdul Gani Khan of Meera Road in Mumbai.

“The lance naik rented the bunglow for Rs23,000 eight months ago. He was the one who was involved in procuring the money. Prima facie, the owner of the place has no involvement in this,” said additional commissioner of police (crime) Ashok Morale.

Asked whether genuine Rs1,000 notes were among the seized currency, Morale said this money was simply for show. The Rs1,000 notes were demonetised by the Centre in 2016.

“This is an old racket. They hunt for customers and try to lure them into buying the currency they have. Our informant had an offer from them. They asked for Indian currency and offered American dollars. So police officers posed as customers and approached them,” said senior police inspector Rajendra Mohite of the anti-narcotics cell.