4 min readMumbaiApr 7, 2026 04:58 PM IST
First published on: Apr 7, 2026 at 04:53 PM IST
The Maharashtra cyber police have begun to crack down on an Instagram trend where accused post reels showing fake Indian currency at cheaper rates and provide their WhatsApp number to those interested in getting it delivered.
The cyber police registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) and got two others registered at local police units earlier this week, and arrested two people on Tuesday. The accused were identified as Rahul Anil Pawar and Yogita Bhosale.
The trend—popular in late 2024 and early 2025—is believed to be operating mainly from Maharashtra and is focused on the Dhule, Jalgaon, and Buldhana districts.
In March 2025, Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge had flagged the issue on X, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi with some of these reels, and questioned how the accused procured printing machines seen in the videos.
The latest reels have songs from Dhurandhar–The Revenge—the movie mentions the issue of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)—playing in the background.
Luring people into illegal transactions
An official said that the Maharashtra cyber police, which constantly monitors social media platforms, recently took cognisance of certain Instagram accounts found to be promoting FICN through misleading and fraudulent content.
Preliminary analysis revealed that these Instagram accounts were posting reels and other objectionable content aimed at luring individuals into illegal transactions involving counterfeit currency by offering fraudulent and unrealistic monetary returns.
FICN are often linked with organised crime networks and other illegal activities, including money laundering, terror financing, and various economic offences, an official said.
The use and circulation of counterfeit currency may directly or indirectly support anti-national elements and unlawful operations, thereby rendering the issue not merely a financial offence, but also a matter concerning internal and national security, the official added.
Upon detection of such content, the police identified the Instagram accounts and issued notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, for removal of such objectionable content. Further, notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were issued seeking information pertaining to the account holders involved in these activities.
Based on the information received and intelligence gathered, four FIRs have been registered against Instagram accounts found to be selling and promoting FICN. Of these, two have been registered with the Nodal Cyber Police Station, Maharashtra, while two were registered by the Buldhana and Jalgaon police.
Earlier, in December 2024, CloudSEK, a cyber-security firm had launched an investigation into the issue and found reels with keywords like “second currency” and “AI note” and flagged 4,500 posts, 750+ social media accounts, and 410+ phone numbers engaged in selling counterfeit notes between December 26, 2024, and June 26, 2025.
The firm found that FICN of Rs 5 to Rs 8 lakh was sold for Rs 1 lakh in real currency. They also found that these scams included payment fraud where money was taken, but FICN was not delivered; robbery during physical meetings; and sellers intimidating buyers by claiming local criminal connections.
The latest reels have songs from Dhurandhar–The Revenge—the movie mentions the issue of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN)—playing in the background. (Screengrab from video) 
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