New Delhi: In its drive against facilities engaged in the import of security paper and printing of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted seven modules in Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh; and arrested nine persons. Out of these modules, four were in Maharashtra, and one each, in the other three states.
DRI conducted simultaneous searches at 11 different places across Maharashtra, Haryana, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar yesterday.
In Vikhroli West, Mumbai, DRI identified and located the importer. After a 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 the denomination of Rs. 50 and Rs. 100, several machinery/tools were seized. Seized items included laptops, printers, pen drives, security paper, A-4 sized papers and butter paper with a watermark of Mahatma Gandhi. Based on 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 Kolhapur district, the DRI unearthed a similar set-up with computers and printers, which were being used to print fake Indian Currency Notes. At both places, based on 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, printers and restricted security paper at Khagaria district were also recovered. The three accused were arrested by jurisdictional police based on a complaint by DRI officials and the matter was handed over for further investigation under BNS.
Earlier on February 8, 2025, 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 February 9, DRI had busted two facilities (Thane, Maharashtra and Bhiwani District of Haryana) printing FICN using imported security papers, where three persons were arrested by jurisdictional police authorities based on complaint made by DRI.
– global bihari bureau
