Hyderabad: Three held for printing, circulating fake currency notes worth ₹2.9 lakh
HYDERABAD: The Commissioner’s Task Force, Shamshabad Zone team, along with Balapur police, arrested three people allegedly involved in printing and circulating fake Indian currency notes (FICN) in Hyderabad and seized counterfeit notes with a face value of ₹2,91,100.
Police also seized a colour printer, scanner, laminator, paper cutter, colour liquids, paper bundles, smartphones and other material allegedly used to prepare the counterfeit notes.
The arrested persons were identified as Ramavath Ramu alias Mohammed, 36, Ramavath Mothilal, 35, and Ramavath Gandhi, 19, all residents of Chinthal Thanda, Vaddipatla, in Nalgonda district. Another accused, Sudheer John Chela alias Vamshi of Nagole, Bandlaguda, is on the run, police said.
Trio allegedly learnt counterfeit printing through online videos
According to police, Ramu, who was identified as the prime accused, allegedly decided to make money through illegal means after facing financial difficulties following disturbances in his family life.
Police said Ramu and his relative Mothilal learnt the process of preparing fake currency notes by watching videos on YouTube and Instagram.
During questioning, Mothilal allegedly told police that he came across a YouTube notification about making counterfeit currency notes. A phone number displayed in the video led him to contact a person, who allegedly told him to procure an Epson colour printer, scanner, bond paper and other material.
The accused allegedly pooled resources and bought a printer and other material before starting to print counterfeit notes.
Fake notes allegedly used at shops and vegetable markets
Police said the accused allegedly attempted to reproduce security features, including a watermark, on the counterfeit notes. They allegedly circulated the notes in small quantities at wine shops and vegetable markets during the night.
Police also alleged that the accused attempted to circulate the fake notes through Gandhi, who is Ramu’s nephew.
The seized counterfeit currency comprised 437 fake ₹500 notes, 648 fake ₹100 notes and 39 fake ₹200 notes, totalling ₹2,91,100 in face value.
Police also seized four genuine ₹500 notes and four genuine ₹100 notes allegedly used as samples for photocopying. Other seized material included duplicate ₹500 note bundles bearing the name “Children Bank of India”, an Epson L6460 colour printer, an Epson colour image scanner, a Zebronics laminator, a paper cutter toolbox, liquid colours, green wrapping covers, two bundles of white paper, printed Gandhi-figure bond paper, watermark paper, an iron scale, glass, stitched green wrapping papers, three smartphones and a motorcycle bearing registration number TG 07 BE 9434.
Police said Ramu had previously been booked in Crime No. 7/2022 under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act at Nalgonda Women police station.
The Task Force team, led by Shamshabad Zone Inspector D Krishna Mohan, along with Balapur police Inspector Sudhakar and sub-inspector K Mansoor Ali and their staff, apprehended the accused based on credible information.
The accused and seized property were handed over to the station house officer of Balapur police station for further investigation, police said.
