Pune cops bust major FICN racket; fake notes with face value of Rs 28.66 lakh seized, 5 held

Pune, Apr 28 (PTI) The cyber cell of Shivajinagar police station in Pune has busted a major Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racket following a probe that began on April 17 after 55 counterfeit notes of Rs 200 denomination were deposited in the cash deposit machine of a local bank, an official said on Monday.

FICN with face value of Rs 28.66 lakh have been confiscated so far and five persons arrested, the official added.

Following registration of an FIR on April 17 on the complaint of the bank's manager, a special team aided by technical analysis arrested Manisha Swapnil Thanekar, Bharti Tanaji Gawand and Sachin Ramchandra Yamgar the next day, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sandip Singh Gill.

"They revealed they had obtained the fake notes from one Naresh Bhimpya Shetti, a resident of Lohegaon. A raid at Shetti's residence led to the recovery of 20 bundles of Rs 200 counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 4 lakh, genuine currency amounting to Rs 2.04 lakh, a printer, 1,116 sheets carrying 2,232 fake Rs 500 notes with face value of Rs 22.32 lakh, printing ink, blank papers, and other materials," he said.

Additionally, a total of 648 counterfeit Rs 200 notes and three fake Rs 500 notes, with a total face value of Rs 1.31 lakh, were seized from Shetti's car, the official said.

Shivajinagar police station senior inspector Mahesh Bolkotgi said FICN with face value of Rs 60,000 were seized from Gawand, while FICN with face value of Rs 20,000 were confiscated from Thanekar and Yamgar.

"Technical analysis revealed the involvement of Prabhu Gugalzedi, from whom FICN of Rs 200 denomination with face value of Rs 3000 were confiscated. All the accused have been remanded in police custody till April 29," Bolkotgi added.

He said, so far, FICN with face value of Rs 28.66 lakh, genuine currency of Rs 2.04 lakh and the car used in the crime have been seized.

"We have identified the owner of the laptop used in printing the fake notes. We are intensifying efforts to trace and apprehend other individuals connected to the racket," the official said. PTI SPK BNM