Fake currency with face value of Rs 43.30 lakh seized

Palanpur: A 21-year-old man was arrested Sunday with fake currency notes having the face value of Rs 43.30 lakh from Palanpur in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, police said.

A total of 2165 notes in the denomination of Rs 2000 were seized from Poonamchand Sharma during checking of a luxury bus by the police on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, an official said.

Sharma was supposed to deliver the parcel to one Narendra Gurava, a resident of Surat. Police suspect that Sharma was acting as a courier for Gurava, as both of them hailed from Rajasthan.

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand intelligence agencies have sounded an alert to police in all districts of the state regarding the use of the fake currency during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

"The terrorist organisations with help of the Maoists can use fake currencies in the Lok Sabha polls. The Superintendents of Police (SP) of all districts have been sounded an alert" a source in the state Special Branch told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"The SPs have been asked to keep close track on the movement of trains and road transport. The fake currencies could be pumped from bordering Bangladesh or from Nepal, through Bihar and Bengal", the source added.

So far, more than Rs 2 crore worth of cash has been seized after the announcement of the general elections.

A few months back, police had arrested Rajesh Bhuiya, a resident of Hazaribagh, for involvement in a fake currency racket. The police had seized 104 notes of RS 2,000 denomination each.

The Special Branch has also alerted the SPs regarding the use of illicit liquor in the elections. Some liquor traders have been identified and their movements are being watched by Special Branch officials.

Checking on state borders have been intensified to keep a track on the movement of liquor and cash, the source added.

Jharkhand will go to the polls in the final four phases of the seven-phase election.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get the latest updates