COIMBATORE: Six people, including three college students, were arrested for attempting to circulate fake Rs 500 currency notes in Coimbatore on Sunday. Police seized 372 fake notes to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh.
The arrested were identified as Akthar Parvez, 21, of Karumbukadai, Aabil, 20, Hayas, 19, of Selvapuram, Shahid, 19, of Ukkadam, Mohammed Irfan, 18, and the prime accused, Mukesh Kumar. A group of youngsters visited a private recreation club on the Ukkadam–Perur Bypass on Sunday evening and purchased liquor using Rs 500 notes. Further investigations revealed that the suspects used genuine currency notes as models to make colour photocopies and circulate them as counterfeit currency.
The seized notes carried different serial numbers, police said. We are investigating where the notes were produced, how long the operation had been going on and whether others were involved,” a police officer said. Aabil, Shahid and Mohammed Irfan are college students. The club employees examined the notes and found them to be counterfeit. They alerted Bazaar police. Police reached the spot and arrested Hayas of Selvapuram. Based on information provided by him, police subsequently arrested two college students who had fled the spot. “We have arrested six people in connection with the circulation of counterfeit currency. Preliminary investigations suggest that the notes were made using colour photocopying. Police are also investigating whether the college students had any links with others involved in the racket.