Pramesh S Jain
The Kumbalagodu police have arrested two men for allegedly printing and circulating counterfeit Rs.500 currency notes using equipment set up in a rented apartment in Bengaluru.
Police seized 338 fake Rs.500 notes,a photocopy machine,a laptop, a car and mobile phones,collectively valued at Rs.3.29 lakh.
The arrested have been identified as Aravind K.C.(47),an unemployed resident of Bengaluru,and P. Venkatsubramani (41),a driver from Chennai.Police said neither of the accused has any previous criminal record.
Senior officer told reporters that on July 3,Kumbalagodu police received credible information that a tenant residing in a BDA apartment under Kumbalagodu police station limits was circulating counterfeit currency.
Based on the tip-off,a case was registered and an investigation was launched.
Later the same day,police arrested Aravind near Kenchenahalli Cross.
During interrogation,he allegedly confessed to printing counterfeit ₹500 notes and supplying them to his associate in Chennai for circulation.
Aravind was produced before a court on July 4 and remanded to 10 days of police custody for further interrogation.
During custodial questioning,the accused allegedly admitted that he had started printing fake currency to make quick money.
Based on the information he provided,a police team arrested his alleged accomplice,P. Venkatsubramani,at Maruti Nagar near Chennai on July 7.
Searches conducted between July 4 and July 8 at the accused persons’ premises in Bengaluru and Chennai led to the seizure of 338 counterfeit ₹500 notes,one photocopy machine,one laptop,one car,three mobile phones, and other incriminating materials used in the counterfeit currency operation.
Both accused were produced before the jurisdictional court and have been remanded to judicial custody.
Police are continuing the investigation to ascertain whether the counterfeit notes had already entered circulation and to identify any other persons connected to the racket.
