Two held with fake Indian currency notes of 2 lakh rupee

The special cell of Delhi police on Wednesday morning arrested two persons from a place near Anand Vihar railway station, who were allegedly indulged in circulation of fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) in India from across the border. The FICNs amounting ₹1,97,500, in denomination of 500 have been recovered from their possession, the police said.

Pramod Singh Kushwah, the deputy commissioner of police (special cell), said the recovered FICNs were being routed to India through Indo-Bangladesh border. "The arrested accused have already supplied FICNs amounting to over 40 lakh in Delhi in the last two years. Both of them, identified as Mabia Khatoon (35) of Malda (West Bengal) and Munish Ahmed (54) of Khanpur (Delhi), were the active members of an international cartel indulged in pumping and circulation of FICNs in India," he said.

He further said that the arrest had been made on the basis of a tip-off regarding indulgence of two members of the cartel in circulation of FICNs in India from Indo-Bangadesh border through Malda, West Bengal. "Accordingly, a team was formed and team members were deployed around the railway over bridge near Anand Vihar railway station. At about 10.15 am, Khatoon came under the railway over bridge and handed over a packet having FICNs to Ahmed. Immediately, the police team cornered and overpowered the duo. On search, FICN of ₹1,00,000 were recovered from Ahmed, whereas FICNs of ₹97,500 were recovered from Khatoon. All the recovered currency notes are in denomination of 500. The recovered FICNs are of such a fine quality that it is difficult to distinguish them from the original one with a naked eye," he said.

Kushwah also said that during interrogation, Khatoon disclosed that she had procured recovered consignment of FICNs from a person at Malda and she had come to Delhi to deliver the same to Ahmed. "She further divulged to have brought as many as 10 consignments of FICN amounting to ₹40 lakh and delivered the same to Ahmed in the last two years. Ahmed, on the other hand, disclosed that he has been supplying FICNs in Delhi and NCR and Uttar Pradesh since 2015. As per him, he used to receive FICNs from other sources in Malda earlier. Ahmed has been found involved in four criminal cases in past and three of these cases were related supplying of fake currency. In 2015, he along with his two associates, was arrested in Rohini North with FICNs amounting to ₹52,000, while in 2018, he along with one of his associates, was arrested by the crime branch for possessing FICNs amounting to ₹1,60,000. Again in 2020, he along with two of his associates, was arrested in the area of Kotla Mubarakpur with FICN amounting 62,000. Ahmed is also involved in a case of extortion in Delhi. All the four cases are pending trial in courts," he said.

The DCP further said that interrogation of the arrested duo is underway, to identify the linkages including source of supply of FICNs in the country and to apprehend the other members of the cartel.