The Gadchiroli city police and local crime branch (LCB) have successfully dismantled a fake currency note manufacturing and distribution network operated by two brothers who allegedly took online tutorials on making counterfeit notes at their home in Nagpur.
Arrests and Seizures
The brothers, Mayur Doijal (31) and Aditya Doijal (26) — one a mechanical engineer and the other a civil engineer — along with their accomplice Aditya Rechankar, were apprehended from their flat in Trimurti Nagar on May 17. The operation led to the seizure of high-tech printing equipment, bond paper, and counterfeit notes valued at Rs 39,700. One more person had been earlier arrested in Gadchiroli.
How the Racket Came to Light
The racket came to light on May 15, following a complaint from Pratik Anas, a bank manager, about fake currency notes being deposited in an ATM. CCTV footage revealed that on May 11, Pramod Kove, a resident of Brahmapuri in Chandrapur, allegedly deposited fake Rs 100 notes worth Rs 2,100. Kove was soon arrested by the investigating officer, Vinod Chavan of Gadchiroli police station.
Police said Kove claimed to have received the notes from Aditya Rechankar, 19, a resident of Armori Road, in Gadchiroli. Rechankar allegedly sourced the currency from a contact known as 'Jeetu' in Nagpur, said police. A team proceeded to Nagpur on the night of May 16 and conducted the raid in Trimurti Nagar.
Recoveries Made
Specific recoveries comprised 31 pages of Rs 50 fake notes (Rs 1,550), 180 pages of Rs 100 notes (Rs 18,000), 4 pages of Rs 200 notes (Rs 800), 12 ready Rs 100 notes (Rs 1,200), and numerous cut pieces and mixed denomination prints.
Legal Proceedings
A case was registered at Gadchiroli police station under Section 179 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The accused were remanded to police custody till May 22.
Ongoing Investigation
Investigations are ongoing to trace the full supply chain, including the mysterious 'Chitu', and possible networks in Vidarbha. SP Gadchiroli, M Ramesh, praised the efforts of additional SPs Kartik Madhira, SP Gokul Raj G, ASP Aniket Hirde, LCB PI Arun Phegde, and the team led by Chavan and Bhagat Singh Dulat.
