Fake currency seized in Allahabad; 2 held

Allahabad, Aug 26 (UNI) In a major breakthrough, the city police today nabbed two people with counterfeit currency worth Rs 4.33 lakh in Muthhiganj area.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lalji Shukla said that on a tip-off, Muthhiganj police station officer Rana Rajesh Kumar Singh cordoned off the area near Gaughat Bridge along with his team and nabbed two people.

The arrested were Vishal Sharma of Fafamau and Kripa Shankar Giri of Pratapgarh district. Fake currency worth Rs 4.33 lakh was siezed from their possession.

The seizure comprised 582 notes of Rs 500 denomination and 142 notes of Rs 1,000 denomination, the SSP informed.

The arrested revealed they used to sell the fake currency in Allahabad after getting it from a person from Jhansi, he added.

Meanwhile, a case has been filed against the arrested and further investigation was on.

The SSP has also announced a cash reward for the victorious police team.

Mr Shukla also said a keen eye was being kept on the fake currency rackets after the recent recovery at State Bank of India's (SBI) Dumariyaganj chest in Siddharthnagar and concern shown by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

On July 29, the STF of Uttar Pradesh Police had confiscated Rs 5,00,000 fake currency at SBI Dumariyaganj chest in Siddharthnagar and later held bank cashier Sudhakar with Rs 7,21,000, including fake notes worth Rs 5,000 from his house.

On August 4, a team of senior RBI officials reached the SBI and seized counterfeit Indian currency worth Rs 20 lakh from the branch's main chest in Siddharthnagar district.

On August 7, the Uttar Pradesh government had ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the multi-crore rupees fake currency racket and realising the seriousness of the case, the very next day, the government had recommended investigation by the CBI into the SBI fake currency racket.

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