Police suspect link to larger counterfeit currency racket; forensic probe underway
Bhadrak (Odisha), May 11 – The Odisha police have detained a man in connection with the circulation of counterfeit Indian currency and seized fake notes with a face value of Rs 10,000 from his possession, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the Anand Bazaar area under the jurisdiction of the Bhadrak rural police station when two youths allegedly attempted to purchase groceries using forged currency.
According to eyewitness Utkalmani Panda, a local shopkeeper, suspicions arose when one of the youths offered a Rs 200 note that felt odd in texture and appearance. "I sensed something was wrong when I touched the note. I showed it to nearby shopkeepers, and we quickly realised it was fake," Panda said. When confronted, the youth attempted to flee but was apprehended by locals, while his accomplice managed to escape.
Following the alert, Bhadrak rural police launched a search operation and recovered fake currency notes in denominations of Rs 100, Rs 200, and Rs 500, totaling Rs 10,000.
Inspector-in-Charge Dayanidhi Das stated that preliminary findings suggest the accused were deliberately targeting small shops, which typically have lower chances of detecting counterfeit currency.
"We suspect the detained individual is part of a broader counterfeit currency network. A case has been registered, and the seized notes have been sent for forensic examination," Das added. A manhunt is underway to locate the absconding suspect and further expose the racket behind the forged notes.