The notes were all in Rs 2000 denomination.
In the biggest seizure of fake currency notes in denominations of Rs 2000 since demonetization, Kolkata Police arrested five persons and recovered counterfeit notes worth Rs 56.74 lakh from the port area of the city.
At 11 am on Thursday, the five – Manuar Mollah alias Ujjal, Abul Kalam Azad alias Suraj, Sk Eklash Ahmed, Balai Mondal alias Joy and Syed Rehan – visited an electronics shop at 23 Kabi Tirtha Sarani, near Fancy Market under Watgunge Police Station in the port area. They wanted to purchase high-end mobile phones.
“When they were paying, the shop owner was doubtful about the currency notes and alerted the police. Officials of the Anti Rowdy Section (ARS) from the port division went there within minutes and nabbed the five,” said Vishal Garg, joint commissioner of police (crime), Kolkata Police.
The notes were all in Rs 2000 denomination and sealed in what police say were ‘fake SBI packets’. Police are trying to find out who else is associated with the racket and whether they have printed the notes themselves or procured them from somewhere else. “We are trying to find out what had been the motive of carrying such a huge amount of cash in fake notes and where had the paper, colour etc been procured from. We will produce them at the court tomorrow and ask for a police custody,” Garg added.
The five arrested hail from Bankura and Howrah districts of West Bengal. Manuar, the main accused among the five, has a criminal background. He had earlier been arrested on charges of gold smuggling in Mumbai. Police also said that unlike the previous hauls, these notes were of a much better quality.
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