The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch dismantled an interstate syndicate involved in printing and circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), an official said on Tuesday.
According to the police, the racket, operating between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, was exposed after extensive intelligence gathering and coordinated field operations, leading to the arrest of three key members.
The accused, Rakesh Arora (50) of Delhi’s Vijay Nagar, his brother Ravi Arora (50) of Shahjahanpur, U.P., and Vivek Kumar Maurya (32) of Shahjahanpur, were arrested following raids at multiple locations across Delhi, Bareilly, and Shahjahanpur.
“The team has recovered a total of Rs 324,000 worth of counterfeit currency, along with 122 unfinished printing sheets, high-quality printers, specialised chemicals, and other materials used in the production of fake notes,” said Vikram Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).
Adding to his statement further, he mentioned that the digital evidence, including mobile phones, also established a direct link between the trio.
The operation was launched based on intelligence gathered by the team, which meticulously tracked the syndicate’s activities over several days.
Arora was first arrested at the city’s North Gate Mall in possession of Rs 1 lakh in fake Rs 500 notes.
During the sustained interrogation, he revealed that the notes were supplied by Maurya via his brother, Ravi.
Subsequent raids at the homes of Ravi and Maurya in Shahjahanpur led to further recoveries, including 35 fake notes and documents linking the operation to bank transactions.
Vivek was caught in the act of printing counterfeit notes, with his setup revealing finished and unfinished currency sheets. Both Ravi and Vivek have prior criminal records, including previous involvement in cases of fake currency, theft, and other serious offences.
Officials are now probing the network further to identify additional associates and recover more counterfeit currency circulating in the region.
“The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to ensure the complete disruption of the syndicate and prevent the circulation of counterfeit currency in Delhi and adjoining areas,” the DCP stated.