Rs1 lakh FICN seized, rest Rs95 lakh out in market in Ahmedabad

The crime branch on Saturday busted a fake Indian currency notes racket in the city and arrested three people in this connection, including the kingpin, Ramesh Patel. According to the police, Patel had allegedly brought Rs96 lakh in fake notes from Malda in West Bengal. The police, however, were able to seize only Rs1 lakh in fake notes, most of which are in the Rs500 and Rs1000 denomination.

Earlier this month, the Jamnagar police had busted a fake notes racket and arrested eight people for allegedly circulating Rs27 lakh in counterfeit currency notes.

Crime branch DCP Himanshu Shukla said on Saturday that they had been on the trail of some people suspected of involvement in circulation of fake notes and had apprehended Shukla said Patel had brought Rs96 lakh in fake notes.

He had circulated the notes in Junagadh, Jamnagar, Godhra and Himmatnagar through his agents, Shukla said. Two agents from Junagadh had also been arrested and the police had seized Rs1 lakh in fake notes from them, he added.

“This is different from the racket busted in Jamnagar. We are still inquiring about the fake notes circulated by Patel in the market through agents,” Shukla said.

However, police have not been able to trace out the culprits who had distributed the counterfeit notes to individuals in the state.

“As police have started investigation in the case, the main culprits may have escaped to Bangladesh from Malda. Hence they are not traceable. But the police is continuing investigations in the case,” Shukla said.

The police had got a tip-off about the racketeers after the arrest of Kamlesh Odiyatar and Ghanshyam Hasani by Jamnagar police.