2 From Odisha Among 4 Held In Fake Currency Printing Racket In UP Madrasa

Prayagraj/Bhubaneswar: Two men from Odisha are among four people arrested in connection with the fake currency printing racket busted at a madrasa in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. One of the two Odia men has been identified as the mastermind in the racket, according to UP police.

While the alleged mastermind has been identified as Jahir Khan from Bhadrak, another accused who is the madrasa principal, is also reported to be from Odisha. Gang leader Jahir Khan along with Mohammad Afzal from Kareli, Prayagraj, were involved in printing fake currency in a room at Jamia Habibia Masjide Azam Madrasa.

Sources said the police have seized over 1,300 fake 100-rupee notes, 234 printed pages (uncut), one laptop, one colour printer, two bundles of bound paper and one bundle of loose paper from their possession.

The madrasa cleric Arifeen had provided a separate room for the production of counterfeit currency, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Deepak Bhuker.

The gang had been involved in the counterfeit currency business for the past three to four months, providing fake notes with a face value of Rs 45,000 rupees in exchange for genuine notes of Rs 15,000, police said.

Sources said Jahir had been to the Madrasa four years back. While he was studying there, he was involved in fake currency printing for the past three to four months. Apart from Jahir, the Madrasa Principal is also reportedly from Odisha.

A team of UP police is likely to visit Bhadrak and conduct raids at places linked to Jahir following his arrest. The police is also likely to seek the remand of the arrested suspects for further questioning in the fake currency case.

Prayagraj police have filed a case against the arrested suspects under sections 178 (counterfeiting coin, government stamps, currency notes or bank notes), 179 (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, government stamp, currency notes or bank notes), and 180 (possession of forged or counterfeit coin, government stamp, currency-notes or bank-note) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

The accused have also been booked under sections 181 (making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, government stamps, currency notes or bank notes) and 182(1) (making or using documents resembling currency notes or bank notes) of the BNS.