Three men belonging to a gang allegedly involved in printing as well distributing counterfeit currency, including two journalists working for a local weekly magazine and a B Tech engineering student, were taken into police custody here today, police sources said.
Central Crime Station (CCS) police seized counterfeit currency notes with a face value of Rs 43.17 lakh, besides Rs 90,000 in original currency as well as equipment from their possession.
DIG Malla Reddy and Superintendent of Police Ambar Kishore Jha said at a press conference today that Kandula Pavan Kumar of Kothapeta village in Bhadrachalam and his friend Peddineni Ravi Prasad of Bhadrachalam town worked with a local weekly magazine, but allegedly printed counterfeit currency as well as distributed it in neighbouring districts.
On Friday, the duo confirmed a business deal with B Tech engineering student Didigam Manoj Kumar, residing in Ramavaram village of Karimnagar district and called him to collect fake currency near a petrol pump in Hanamkonda town.
Manoj Kumar handed over Rs 90,000 in real currency notes to the duo.
However, based on a tip off, the police nabbed them.
During interrogation, they confessed to their crime and took the police to their hideout, from where a computer, printer, scanner, inks, rubber stamps and liquids were seized.
