API held for involvement in counterfeit, forgery case

Mumbai, Sep 26 (UNI) The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police today arrested an Assistant Police Inspector of the Special Branch for his alleged involvement in a counterfeit currency and forgery case.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said Shahuram Bhagwan Bhosle was part of a gang that promised unsuspecting people with more fake currency in return for a minimum token amount of original money.

The other arrested people are Sachindra, alias Sachin Paswan (37), the kingpin Krishnakant Ram Vilas Paswan (31) and Dilip Sukharam Chavan (32).

Mr Maria said the gang's modus operandi was to lure people with the promise of more fake money. To win the trust, the gang used to give an original currency of Rs 500 or Rs 100 to the victims to test it.

Subsequently, the victims used to approach the gang and they used to fix a deal. The gang used to invite the victim to a location and display the neatly spread fake currency in a suitcase with a fake compartment and wooden blocks acting as bundles.

When the gang was about to exchange the fake currency to the victim after taking into custody the original currency, ASI Bhosle conducted a fake raid and arrested the gang while carrying away the victim, he said.

Mr Maria said Sachindra (the main kingpin) was also wanted by the Delhi Police in seven cases of forgery and was also wanted by the Mumbai Police in three similar cases.

On API Bhosle's involvement, the Joint Commissioner said he and another accused, Sakaram Chavan, were from Nalasopara and knew each other since a year, after Chavan met the officer in a property- related case.

Dismissing further queries, Mr Maria said the case was under investigation.

UNI