By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 21, 2025: CONTINUING the drive against modules involved in the import of security paper and printing Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), on 20th February 2025, DRI conducted simultaneous searches at 11 different places across Maharashtra, Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Bihar yesterday and busted seven (7) additional modules involved in printing of FICN.

Earlier on 8th Feb, 2025, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had arrested two persons found to be the actual importers of high-quality paper with embedded security thread having inscriptions of 'RBI' and 'Bharat' ('security paper') in Ghazipur District, Uttar Pradesh and Bengaluru, Karnataka and in the follow-up next day on 9th Feb, DRI had busted two facilities (Thane, Maharashtra & Bhiwani District Haryana) printing FICN using imported security papers, where three persons were arrested by jurisdictional police authorities based on complaint made by DRI.

In the present case, in Vikhroli West, Mumbai, DRI identified and located the importer. After thorough search in a densely populated locality, a sophisticated facility for printing and finishing the Fake Indian Currency Notes was unearthed and fake currency of denomination of Rs. 50 & Rs. 100, several machinery/tools were seized. Seized items includes laptops, printers, pen drives, security paper, A-4 sized papers & butter paper with watermark of Mahatma Gandhi etc. On the basis of the complaint filed by DRI officers, the person was arrested and all the apparatus and tools were seized by the jurisdictional police authorities under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for further investigation.

In Sangamner district and in Kolhapur district, the DRI unearthed similar set up with computers and printers, which were being used to print fake Indian Currency Notes. At both the places, on the basis of the complaint filed by DRI officers, the two accused were arrested and the contraband was seized by the jurisdictional police authorities under BNS for further investigation.

The questioning of the accused in the Kolhapur module led to the busting of another module with printing set up in Belgaum, by Kolhapur police, who arrested three more persons in the case.

In three other locations, (West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh; Khagaria District in Bihar and Rohtak in Haryana) the importers of the security paper were traced. Incriminating evidence such as restricted security paper and printer at West Godavari; laptops, printer and restricted security paper at Khagaria district were also recovered. The three accused have been arrested by jurisdictional police based on complaint by DRI officials and the matter has been handed over for further investigation under BNS.