The Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force (Shamshabad Zone), working alongside Balapur police, has busted a counterfeit currency circulation racket and arrested three persons who allegedly printed and passed off fake Indian currency notes across the city.
The police seized counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 2,91,100, along with a colour printer, scanner, laminator and other material used in producing the notes.
The three arrested persons have been identified as Ramavath Ramu alias Mohammed, 36, a Zomato delivery worker; Ramavath Mothilal, 35, a Rapido driver and a relative of Ramu; and Ramavath Gandhi, 19, an auto driver. All three are residents of Chinthal Thanda, Vaddipatla, Telangana. A fourth alleged associate, Sudheer John Chela alias Vamshi of Nagole-Bandlaguda, is currently absconding.
According to the police, Ramu and Mothilal allegedly learnt how to prepare counterfeit currency by watching videos on YouTube and Instagram. Mothilal reportedly came across a YouTube notification about making fake notes and contacted a person through a phone number shown in the video. He was allegedly instructed to procure a colour printer, scanner, bond paper and other supplies. The group then purchased the equipment and began printing fake Rs 500, Rs 200 and Rs 100 notes, also attempting to replicate security features such as the watermark to make the notes resemble genuine currency.
The gang allegedly circulated the fake notes in small quantities at wine shops and vegetable markets, mainly during night hours. Gandhi, who is Ramu's nephew, was allegedly used to pass the counterfeit notes in the market.
In total, police seized 437 fake Rs 500 notes, 39 fake Rs 200 notes and 648 fake Rs 100 notes, amounting to a face value of Rs 2,91,100.
