Fake currency worth Rs 57 lakhs seized in Watgunge, 5 held

Kolkata: In a major haul, fake currencies worth around Rs 57 lakhs, all of Rs 2,000 denomination, were recovered and a gang of five racketeers were arrested by the detective department (DD) of the Kolkata police from Watgunge in port area of the city.

The accused are Manaur Mollah, Sheikh Eklakh Ahmed, Sheikh Abul Kalam Azad, Syed Rehan and Balai Mandal. Mollah, Ahmed, Azad and Rehan are from Howrah while Mondal is from Bankura.

While around Rs 26.30 lakhs were recovered from Mollah, Rs 12.20 lakhs were recovered from Ahmed. Rs 8.10 lakhs were recovered from Azad with Rs 6.08 lakhs being found with Rehan. Rs 4.06 lakhs were seized from Mondal.

Many of them have cases pending against them in other states. Joint commissioner of police (crime) Vishal Garg informed that counterfeit notes totalling around Rs 56.74 lakhs were seized from the five who came in two-wheelers to buy mobile phones in large numbers at Fancy Market in the morning.

An anti-rowdy section team of the DD caught the five on a tip-off from the shop owner. “The arrested five will be produced in the court on Friday. An appeal will be made to take them in police custody,” Mr Garg added.