Fake Currency Racket Busted in Pune: Shivajinagar Police Seize Rs 28.66 Lakh in Counterfeit Notes
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 28th April 2025: In a significant crackdown on counterfeit currency, the cyber squad of Shivajinagar Police Station has busted a fake currency printing gang and seized fake notes and printing equipment valued at over ₹28.66 lakh. Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket and are currently in police custody until April 29.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Sandeep Singh Gill informed that the action began after a complaint was lodged by the manager of Kotak Mahindra Bank on April 17. The complaint stated that 55 fake ₹200 notes were discovered in the bank’s Self-Operated Deposit Machine (SODM).
“Upon receiving the complaint, a case was registered, and a dedicated investigation team was formed,” said DCP Gill. “Swift technical analysis led to the arrest of Manisha Thanekar of Yerwada. During her interrogation, she disclosed that the fake notes were supplied by an individual known as Kolhe, later identified as Naresh Bhimappa Shetty from Lohgaon.”
A subsequent raid on Shetty’s residence revealed a major counterfeit operation. Police recovered 20 bundles of fake ₹200 notes worth ₹4 lakh, genuine currency amounting to ₹2.04 lakh, a note-printing printer, 1,116 A4-size sheets printed with ₹500 notes (with four notes per sheet), totaling 2,232 fake notes worth ₹22.32 lakh, along with ink and blank papers used for counterfeiting.
Further investigation exposed that Naresh Shetty had circulated fake notes to others: ₹60,000 in counterfeit ₹200 notes were seized from Bharati Gavand of Keshavnagar, ₹20,000 from Manisha Thanekar, and another ₹20,000 from Sachin Yamgar of Gahunje. Additionally, accused Prabhu Googlejeddi, who assisted in the operation, was arrested with ₹3,000 in counterfeit ₹200 notes.
“In total, we have seized fake currency worth ₹28.66 lakh, genuine currency worth ₹2.04 lakh, printing machinery, and the car used in the crime,” added DCP Gill. “The investigation also revealed the use of a laptop for printing fake notes. The laptop owner and other suspects have been identified, and efforts are on to apprehend them.”
According to officials, the racket was operational for some time, and police are now expanding their investigation to uncover the network’s full extent.
The investigation team included ACP (Vishrambaug Division) Sainath Thombre, Senior Police Inspectors Mahesh Bolkotgi, Chandrashekhar Sawant, Police Inspector (Crime) Chandrakant Suryavanshi, API K B Daberao, Police Sub-Inspector Ajit Bade, police personnel Nalini Kshirsagar, Aadesh Chalwadi, Tejas Chopde, Ganesh Jadhawar, Shrikrishna Sangve, Pravin Dadas, Ruchika Jamdade, Swaleha Sheikh (ATC).
