Three men, suspected to be members of an international syndicate involved in smuggling of fake Indian currency notes (FICN), were arrested with counterfeit notes of face value Rs 5.50 lakh, police said today.
The special cell learnt that there were attempts to revive circulation of FICNs by the members of an international syndicate, officials said.
It was found that FICN is being pumped in various parts of India from Bangladesh through porous border in Malda of West Bengal and also from Nepal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah said.
Yesterday, it was learnt that one Zulfikar Alam (45), who is a key member of the syndicate, would come on Thomson Road, near New Delhi Railway Station to receive a consignment of FICN from his contact, the officer said.
A police team laid a trap and when a man handed him a parcel, both of them were nabbed, he said.
As many as 150 fake notes of Rs 2,000 denomination with the face value of Rs 3 lakh, were recovered from Alam that was handed to him by the other accused, identified as Uttam Mandal (40), Kushwah said.
Fifty fake currency notes in denomination of Rs 2,000 were also recovered from Uttam Mandal, the officer said.
During interrogation, Uttam Mandal disclosed that he works as a carrier of fake currency notes for one Deepak Kumar Mandal (36), a resident of Malda, the DCP said.
Uttam Mandal revealed that Deepak had also accompanied him to Delhi and on his instructions, he had come to deliver the consignment, the DCP said.
The accused also told police that he was going to deliver more such consignments and Deepak would meet him near Ramleela Ground.
A trap was laid and Deepak was also nabbed and 75 fake currency notes in denomination of Rs 2,000 were recovered from him, the officer said.
During interrogation, Alam revealed that he used to visit Bangladesh border for procuring FICN from various persons actively involved in this illegal trade, the officer said.
He came in contact with Deepak who assured him regular supply of good quality FICN, Kushwah said.
Deepak revealed that he procured FICN from one Musharraf from Bangladesh who delivers the consignment by throwing it over the wire fencing, the officer said.
The arrested members of the syndicate revealed that since the supply of FICN has been "re-started", they had already supplied FICN with face value of Rs 3 crore in Delhi-NCR, the DCP said.
Deepak procured fake currency at a rate of Rs 300 for FICNs with face value of Rs 1,000 from Bangladesh border and then supplied it at the rate of Rs 450 per Rs 1,000. Alam was selling FICNs at rate of Rs 500 for notes with face value of Rs 1,000 in Delhi.
All the fake notes recovered from the three accused are similar in appearance and it is difficult to distinguish fake notes from original ones, he added.
Multiple notes that have been seized with the same serial number, the DCP added.
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