CBI commences probe in SBI fake currency racket

Siddharthnagar, Sep 21 (UNI) A six-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrived at the State Bank of India (SBI) Dumariyaganj branch here to probe one of the country's biggest fake currency rackets.

The CBI has commenced its investigation into the seizure of fake currency amounting to more than Rs four crore from the bank's Dumariyaganj chest in the district, sources said.

Prior to this, the probe was carried out by Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the orders of the state government.

On August 7, the Uttar Pradesh government had ordered probe by the SIT into the multi-crore fake currency racket. However, realising the seriousness of the case, the state government had, the very next day recommended a CBI investigation in the matter.

The case was took up by the Central investigative agency, which has a special wing to deal with fake currency rackets, only on September 16.

The STF Uttar Pradesh held the SBI cashier Sudhakar Tripathi on July 29 and seized Rs 7,21,000, including fake notes amounting to Rs 5,000 from his house and later requested the RBI for currency screening in the SBI branch.

Later, on August 5, a team of senior RBI officials reached the SBI Dumariyaganj chest and seized counterfeit Indian currency amounting to Rs 20 lakh in Siddharthnagar district.

However, with the CBI taking least interest in the case, the investigation into the racket slowed down.

On screening, currency worth over Rs four crore were detected fake. The Dumariyaganj chest had as many as Rs 100 crore in store.

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