Criminals Try To Pass Off Photocopies As Genuine 2K Notes

Kolkata: A fake currency racket busted by the Kolkata police recently turned out to be a gang of petty criminals allegedly trying to pass off "poor photocopies" of Rs 2,000 notes as genuine.

The Kolkata police had initially claimed those were Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), but on detailed examination it was concluded that the bills were mere "poor photocopies", official sources said. All the wads had 'State Bank of India' tags wrapped around and carried identical serial number '4BG 460056', they said. Five people - Manuar Molla, Abul Kalam Azad, Sheikh Eklash Ahmed, Balai Mondal and Syed Rehan were arrested by the Kolkata police from Watgunge area last afternoon. The police seized photocopied notes of face value of Rs 56,74,000 from them.

The gang was caught when its members were allegedly trying to buy a mobile phone with these notes. "The shop owner informed the police after he grew suspicious. They had an altercation. A police team which was close by, reached the place and arrested the five with the notes," Joint Commissioner Police (Crime) Vishal Garg told reporters. West Bengal's Malda district has emerged as a major inlet for fake currency notes from Bangladesh and police have seized large quantities of such bills since the demonetisation exercise was launched last November.