Hyderabad: Cops seize fake notes worth Rs 4 lakh, 2 arrested

Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force, South, along with the Chandrayangutta police busted a counterfeit currency racket and apprehended two persons with fake Rs 2,000 notes with a face value of Rs 3.98 lakh.

They were arrested before they could distribute or exchange the fake notes, Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said.

The duo was identified as Mohd Ghouse alias Bomb Ghouse, 48, who has been on the police records since 1991, and Rabiul Shekh, 22, a resident of Malda district in West Bengal. Supplier Ameenul Rehman alias Bablu, 32, also from Malda, wanted in three cases in Hyderabad, is absconding.

Mr Kumar said ‘Bomb Ghouse’ was involved in the circulation of fake notes from 2011 and had been arrested in 12 cases in the city, Vijayawada and Vizag. His last arrest was by the Charminar police in 2016. While in jail, he circulated fake currency through Ameenul Rehman.

After his release on January 12, Ghouse planned to restart his business. He had lost contact with Rehman and he went to Rajahmundry Central Jail on January 19 to meet another associate and Malda native, Suraj Shaik, during a mulakat and got the phone number of Rehman, Mr Kumar said.

Rahman then contacted one Bablu and fixed a fresh deal to supply fake notes. Bablu sent Rs 4 lakh worth fake notes through his aide Rabiul Sekh, arrested by the Falaknuma police in 2015.

On Friday, while Ghouse and Rabiul were exchanging counterfeit currency in Hashamabad, Chandrayangutta, they were apprehended by he South Zone Task Force and Chandrayangutta police.

Task Force additional DCP S. Chaitanya Kumar said the team will be tracking down the Rehman.