DRI Seizes Counterfeit Rs 2000 Notes Worth 4.22 Lakhs in Delhi

Persons operating from Bangladesh were supplying it in Delhi and other areas on regular basis, DRI probe revealed.

Gurumurthy said the government would be phasing out Rs 2,000 notes and not demonetising them. (Photo: iStockPhoto)

Fake currency notes of Rs 2,000, with face value of Rs 4.22 lakh, smuggled in from Bangladesh have been seized by the DRI from a person when he was boarding a train to West Bengal's Malda from New Delhi, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday, January 9.

Acting on input, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) yesterday recovered 211 pieces of fake India currency notes (FICN) of Rs 2,000 denomination each from him at old Delhi railway station, it said.

During interrogation, the accused has stated that he is a member of an international racket and working as a carrier for another handler. The DRI has further mounted surveillance and intercepted the handler from Patna railway station today.

DRI Statement

Both accused have been arrested at their respective locations and sent to judicial custody. The arrested had carried these fake currency notes for delivery at places in Delhi and Haryana, the statement added.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate in Malda has been procuring these counterfeit notes from persons operating from Mohammadpur village in Bangladesh and supplying it in Delhi and adjoining areas on regular basis since introduction of new notes after demonetisation, the DRI statement said.

As per expert opinion, these forged notes do not match with original ones on many counts.

"The notes lack many security features but have enough similarities with original notes for bringing into circulation by befooling common public," it said.

Since the introduction of new currency notes post- demonetisation, the DRI has till date seized counterfeit notes in many cases at Mumbai, Delhi, Patna, Guwahati and Behrampur and recovered fake Indian currency notes having face value of Rs 50 lakh approximately.

In all cases, it is seen that smuggling routes of FICN emanates out of Bangladesh, the DRI said.