Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Dec 25: The Belagavi police on Monday night arrested two people who had printed fake currency notes with a face value of over Rs 1 crore and were planning to circulate them.

Asif Shaikh, who has worked for four years in Dubai had returned to Belagavi. He was well versed with computers, designing software and printing.

At a press conference on Tuesday, December 25, Police Commissioner D C Rajappa said that they received a tip-off that Asif had printed fake currency notes and was heading towards Sri Nagar to hand it over to a self-styled social worker Rafiq Desai for circulation.

Desai who is known to feed patients at the district hospital as part of his social service was waiting for Shaikh, unaware that the police had laid a trap under the guidance of deputy commissioner of police (Law and Order) Seema Latkar and deputy commissioner of police (Crime) Mahaning Nandgavi comprising of assistant commissioner of police (Crime) Mahanteshwar Jiddi and assistant commissioner of police (Market Subdivision) Narayan Baramani.

Shaikh came to meet Desai on a scooter and handed over a bag containing 50 bundles of fake currency notes with Rs 2000 face value. The cops caught them red-handed.

During interrogation, Desai confessed that Shaikh had designed the notes using CorelDraw software and printer. Police then seized the equipment from Shaikh’s residence in presence of witnesses.

“The fake currency notes were printed in Rs 2000 and Rs 500 denominations. The notes with Rs 2000 face value have serial numbers 6FQ210241 and Rs 500 face value have serial number 6BP478309. Fake currency notes of face value Rs 1,00,81,500 were seized,” Rajappa said.

Shaikh had also tried to print fake notes of Rs 50 and 100 face values but had failed. However, the Rs 2000 fake notes looked genuine. The information of the fake notes being seized has also been shared with police of Goa and Maharashtra, Rajappa said.