Cops crack down on fake dollar,euro racket

During a patrol last Friday,the Surat police came across a Nigerian national James Lucas (35),who was moving around with a big bag in the Chowk Bazaar area. A search revealed paper with US flag embossed,a bottle containing chemical,gloves and a paper detailing the procedure to make fake US dollars.

During interrogation,Lucas said he was asked by a Mumbai resident – one David alias Kumar,a resident of Meera Road in Mumbai,to deliver the bag to one Vishal at Chowk Bazaar. Lucas,who is also a resident of Meera Road in Mumbai,is under remand with the Chowk Bazaar police.

The Forensic Science Laboratory also reported that the papers for the notes and the prints of the US flag were not genuine.

The police said one Rushali Chirmade,a Piploda-based physiotherapist had responded to a mail by Kumar who promised to sell US dollars,which he had in bulk,at lower rates. Satisfied with the response,Chirmade deposited Indian currency in Lucas’ account with ICICI Bank.

Earlier in June,the Surat police had arrested two Nigerians – Adam Christi and Thomas Christi –residing in Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road when they were found moving around suspiciously in the posh Piplod area. The police recovered plain paper in large quantities embossed with the design similar to the ones found in euro currency notes.

Investigations revealed that the duo had duped an Athwalines resident,a land broker named Rajesh Majethia,proposing to sell him euros at a cheaper rate,for which he had paid them Rs 8.80 lakh in advance.

Chowk Bazaar Inspector K N Patel said: “We are trying to investigate further and are checking up with the Mumbai police,as the gang seems to be operating in this area. The counterfeit euros and dollars could have been sold to several others as well.”

Prevention of Crime Branch Sub-Inspector C J Goswami said: “South Gujarat is very close to Mumbai and the gang seems to be well aware of the NRI presence here. We are now trying to trace the other victims.”

HC refuses bail to accused in fake currency racket
The Gujarat High Court has equated the offence of circulating fake currency notes to the offence of waging war against the nation,adding that such offences should not be dealt with leniency. Justice Z K Saiyed made the observation while dismissing the bail applications of two persons accused of circulating fake currency notes in Ahmedabad last year. The Odhav police had arrested Lal Babu and Lalan Prasad Kushvah for possessing 34 fake notes of Rs 500 and Rs 100 denominations. Subsequent investigations and a report by the Forensic Science Laboratory had confirmed that the Rs 500 notes were fake. Justice Saiyed observed: “Such types of notorious activities by anti-social persons are rampant,which directly affects the economy of the nation. Not only that,but such notes are being used by terrorists to wage war against the nation.”

Refusing to grant bail to the two “in the larger interest of the society and the nation”,the court further observed: “Due to the vigil by our police and the armed forces,large number of cases have been traced,apprehending a number of accused persons carrying counterfeit notes in large scale. If the bail application is allowed in such cases,it will send out a wrong signal to society.”