The Pune Police have busted a gang involved in printing counterfeit notes in the city, officials said on Monday.
The incident came to light on April 17 when the manager of Kotak Mahindra Bank lodged a complaint at Shivajinagar Police Station, stating that 55 counterfeit notes of ₹200 denomination had been deposited in the bank’s Cash Deposit Machine (CDM) situated in the Hadapsar jurisdiction of Pune, they added.
Watch Video:
Regarding the incident, a case was registered under sections 178, 179 and 180 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita at Shivajinagar Police Station.
The accused have been identified as Manisha Swapnil Thanekar (resident of Nagpur Chawl, Yerawada, Pune), Bharti Tanaji Gawand (resident of Morya Gosavi Rajpal C-10, Keshavnagar, Chinchwad), Sachin Ramchandra Yamgar (aged 35, resident of Gahunje, Pune), Naresh Bhimappa Shetty, and Prabhu Gugal Jeddy.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had obtained the counterfeit notes from a person named Kolhe, identified as Naresh Bhimappa Shetty, a resident of Lohgaon, Pune.
During the raid at Shetty’s residence, police seized 20 bundles of counterfeit ₹200 notes worth ₹4,00,000, original currency amounting to ₹2,04,000, a printer, 1,167 sheets of A4 size printed with ₹500 notes each (totalling 2,232 notes) valued at ₹22,32,000, printing ink, blank papers for printing, and other materials.
Additionally, from a car (MH12 WK 3761) linked to the accused, 648 counterfeit ₹200 notes and three counterfeit ₹500 notes worth ₹1,39,100 were seized.
While conducting further investigation, counterfeit ₹200 notes worth ₹60,000 were seized from accused Bharti Gawand; counterfeit ₹200 notes worth ₹20,000 were seized from Manisha Thanekar (Patil); and counterfeit ₹200 notes worth ₹20,000 were seized from Sachin Yamgar.
Sandeep Singh Gill, DCP (Zone 1), said, "Technical analysis also revealed that another accused, Prabhu Gugal Jeddy, had assisted Naresh Shetty in the crime." He was arrested, and counterfeit ₹200 notes worth ₹3,000 were recovered from him.
All arrested accused have been remanded to police custody till April 29.
So far, the police have seized counterfeit notes worth ₹28,66,100, genuine notes worth ₹2,04,000, printing materials, and the vehicle used in the crime. The gang had been operating for the last month in the city. Furthermore, the matter is under investigation, and the involved people will be arrested soon.
