Fake currency notes of over Rs 31 lakh seized in Odisha’s Bolangir, mastermind arrested

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch busted a counterfeit currency note racket and seized fake notes with a face value of Rs 31.27 lakh in Titilagarh of Bolangir district.

With the help of Bolangir police, the STF team also managed to arrest the mastermind of the racket while his aide managed to give the cops a slip. The accused has been identified as Lingaraj Behera (50) of Kantamal in Kalahandi district.

During the search, the STF team recovered Rs 31,27,500 fake currency notes from his possession in Rs 500, Rs 200 and Rs 100 denominations. Many other incriminating articles were also recovered from him.

Lingaraj could not produce any valid documents in support of the possession of such fake currency notes following which he was arrested and forwarded to the court of SDJM, Titilagarh, the STF said.

He has been booked under STF PS case no.04 dated 02.02.2023 U/s. 420/468/471/489-A/489-B/489-C/489-D/120(B) IPC.

The seized Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) notes will be sent to Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudrana Pvt. Ltd, Mudrana Nagar, Salaboni in Pachima Medinapore, West Bengal for examination.

Briefing the media on the raid, KK Panigrahy, Crime Branch STF SP said, “We recovered Rs 31.27 lakh fake currency notes along with other incriminating articles from his possession. One of the accused managed to escape. We have launched a manhunt to nab him. Our team is in Titilagarh now. The accused, Lingaraj Behera, will be forwarded to the SDJM court today.

Further investigation on, he added.

Worth mentioning, the STF has seized Rs 78,70,600 fake notes so far.

(Reported by Alok Mohanty, OTV)