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Bhopal, Nov 17 (IANS) Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra on Monday said the investigation into the fake currency racket recently exposed in Bhopal has been extended to other districts of Madhya Pradesh following new leads.
The case came to light after the arrest of 21-year-old Vivek Yadav, who was accused of printing and circulating fake Rs 500 notes using a home-made setup. The fake notes were reportedly put into circulation in districts including Vidisha, Sehore and Raisen.
“Teams are now visiting Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore and other areas to investigate in coordination with local police and revenue officials,” Mishra told IANS.
He said a parallel investigation was underway to determine whether Yadav had any links with foreign networks conspiring to spread fake currency in Madhya Pradesh or elsewhere in India.
“So far, no foreign link has been established, but we cannot rule out the possibility until the investigation is completed,” Mishra said.
Preliminary findings suggest that Yadav had been circulating fake notes for several months, frequently changing locations to avoid detection.
The investigators are also probing suspicious deposits in his bank accounts.
Yadav, a Class 10 dropout student arrested from Bhopal’s Piplani area, targeted small vendors, tea shops, paan shops and roadside eateries on the outskirts of the city, where currency checking is rare.
Police recovered a sophisticated setup from his residence, which included a computer, printer, dyes, adhesives, special paper and hot-stamping foils for making high-quality fake notes.
Each day, Yadav allegedly carried fake notes of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000, but circulated only a few to avoid suspicion.
He generally bought low value items and paid with Rs 500 notes. Investigators believe he learned advanced printing techniques through online tutorials and foreign publications, even copying watermarks to make the notes appear genuine.
–IANS
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