Fake currency notes of Rs 2K, Rs 500 worth Rs 7.10 crore seized

Belagavi, Apr 19: The police have busted a massive counterfeit currency racket in Karnataka’s Belagavi. They arrested one person on Wednesday and seized fake currency notes adding up to Rs 7.10 crore face value, stocked for distribution among voters on the eve of the polling day.

Acting on the credible information received, police raided an abandoned Public Works Department (PWD) quarters building in Visvesvaraya Nagar in APMC police station jurisdiction.

They arrested one man identified as Ajitkumar Nidoni, a resident of Sadashiva Nagar in Belagavi. The police also raided an abandoned house. The fake cash was kept in the cupboard and was meticulously packed.

The police seized Rs 5.84 crore fake currency notes of Rs 2000 face value and Rs 1.26 crore fake currency of Rs 500 notes face value all adding up to a total of Rs 7.10 crore in fake money.

Police sources said the persons behind the racket had stocked the counterfeit currency with the intent to distribute it to voters on the eve of the polling day.

Police have booked a case of cheating, bribing the voters. This is the first instance wherein attempts have been made to distribute fake currency notes to lure voters.

The police investigations are yet to reveal where these currency notes were printed, how they were transported and they were meant to favour which candidate. APMC police are investigating the case.