The crime branch unit 4 arrested a 35-year-old man with counterfeit currency of Rs 4 lakh on Wednesday. The accused is Mohammad Fakiyan Ayyub Khan a resident of Chembur, who allegedly printed the notes after watching several such videos on YouTube, said police.
The crime branch unit 4 received a tip-off that Khan has been indulged in printing counterfeit currency and is selling such notes at a lower price as compared to their face value.
Accordingly, they laid a trap and apprehended Khan from MMRDA colony in Mahul, Chembur. During his search, 657 notes of counterfeit currency of denomination Rs 500, Rs 200, Rs 100, and Rs 50 were recovered, said police.
When his house was searched, another 3, 015 counterfeit currency with a total face value of Rs 3.43 lakh were recovered. According to the police, Khan, who was working at a garment factory recently lost his job and decided to print counterfeit currency. He watched several such videos on YouTube and also bought high-quality printers and papers as well. The quality of notes was quite good and it was hard to recognize during the night, said police.
Following the seizure, Khan was arrested under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section for using genuine, forged, or counterfeit currency-notes (489 B), and possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes (489 C). The accused was produced before the court on Thursday which granted him police custody.
In the last week of January, the crime branch arrested four persons for allegedly printing counterfeit currency of over Rs 35 lakh from their residences in Palghar.