Hyderabad: Despite repeated attempts by police to contain the menace, the influx of counterfeit notes into the city continues unabated.
New, high quality Rs 2000 notes are being brought into the city from Malda in West Bengal. Malda district, generally known for its mangoes, has become the prime source of fake currency since the new notes of Rs 2000 denomination were introduced.
Unlike earlier, the notes are being printed in Malda and not xeroxed. Moreover, the printing is of such high quality that it is difficult to identify the difference.
“For the first time after the demonetisation, we have received specific information from Central agencies about gangs that have brought out huge amounts of fake currency in Rs 2,000 denomination to the city that is being circulated at selected congested business localities. Our teams are keeping a close vigil and have arrested three persons and recovered fake currency worth Rs 1.9 lakh from them. We have come across xerox copies of Indian currency earlier but this time, the Malda-outsourced fake currency looks genuine having most of the security features of the its original counterpart,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commission-er’s Task Force B. Limba Reddy.
“Local offenders contact people in Malda for the fake currency notes that is sent mostly by trains and carriers or petty offenders. The money is then circulated in general stores and other markets,” added the Deputy Commissioner.
When asked about what happens to these offenders, he said, “We are detaining them under PD (Preventive Detention) Act of 1950 and keeping them under surveillance.”
A lack of cooperation from the Bangla police is one of the reasons for our city police to be on alert to stop this racket.
“Police officials in the district do not coordinate well with us but we are doing our duty and making sure that all measures are in place to stop this racket” concluded Mr Reddy.
In a similar case in Vizag on Friday, officials from the City Task Force arrested one person and seized counterfeit currency notes in denominations of Rs 2,000 with a face value of Rs 4.08 lakh from his possession at the railway station in Visakhapatnam. The accused was identified as Ali, who was previously involved in chain snatchings in and around Saidabad police station under Ranga Reddy district of Telangana. He was also accused in abetment of a murder case in which a former Maoist Kondapuri Ramalu was killed under Chaitanyapuri police station under Cyberabad, the officials said.
While under judicial remand in Chanchalguda prison, Ali came in contact with one Khaimool from Malda in West Bengal who was serving a sentence for circulating counterfeit notes.
He acquired knowledge and information about the circulation of counterfeit currency racket from him to do the illegal trade.
After his release from the prison, Ali went to West Bengal and met Khaimool.
Most features of Rs 2000 note on fakes
As many as ten out of the 17 security features have been copied in the fake Rs 2000 note including the design, number and colour pattern, Mahatma Gandhi's logo, see through water mark and Swachh Bharat logo.
Officials pointed out that unlike the ones seized from other parts, the ones found in Malda were not mere colour photocopies, but they werecounterfeits printed in proper printing presses.
