Hyderabad: Fake currency racket busted, notes worth Rs 2.91 lakh seized

Hyderabad police have arrested three persons for allegedly printing and circulating counterfeit currency notes and seized fake notes worth Rs 2.91 lakh. Police also recovered printing equipment and identified another alleged associate, who is currently absconding.

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force (Shamshabad Zone), along with Balapur police, busted a fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) circulation racket and arrested three persons who allegedly printed and circulated counterfeit currency notes in Hyderabad.

The police seized fake notes with a face value of Rs 2.91 lakh, besides a colour printer, scanner, laminator and other material used in preparing the notes, from them.

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The arrested suspects were identified as Ramavath Ramu alias Mohammed (36), a Zomato delivery worker; his relative Ramavath Mothilal (35), a Rapido driver; and Ramavath Gandhi (19), an auto driver. All three are residents of Chinthal Thanda, Vaddipatla, Telangana. Their alleged associate, Sudheer John Chela alias Vamshi of Nagole-Bandlaguda, is absconding.

According to the police, Ramu and Mothilal allegedly learnt about the preparation of counterfeit currency by watching videos on YouTube and Instagram.

“Mothilal reportedly had come across a YouTube notification about making counterfeit currency notes and contacted a person through a phone number displayed in the video. He was allegedly told to procure a colour printer, scanner, bond paper and other material required for printing the notes. Subsequently, they purchased the equipment and allegedly began printing fake Rs 500, Rs 200 and Rs 100 notes. Police said they also attempted to replicate security features, including the watermark, to make the counterfeit notes resemble genuine currency,” said the police.

The gang allegedly circulated the fake notes in small quantities at wine shops and vegetable markets, particularly during night hours. Gandhi, the nephew of Ramu, was allegedly used to circulate the counterfeit notes in the market.

The police seized 437 fake Rs 500 notes, 39 fake Rs 200 notes and 648 fake Rs 100 notes, with a total face value of Rs 2,91,100.