Salia Sahi fake currency mastermind arrested

Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate police today arrested Rajkishore Tudu, mastermind of a fake currency racket which was busted at Salia Sahi slum in the city last week.

Police was tipped off about his arrival at the railway station from Chennai and accordingly the probe team was prepared to nab him. Tudu had escaped to Tamil Nadu since the racket was busted by police.

Tudu has informed the police that another youth named 'Phagu' had taught him the art of making counterfeit notes. Phagu had also given him Rs 16500 fake notes and had promised to pay Rs 8,000 if he runs the racket, Tudu said. Phagu belong to Baripada area, police said.

The police had seized certain materials used for making counterfeit notes last week after raiding a house in the biggest slum area of State.

A police team from Baripada in Mayurbhanj jointly with the commissionerate police had carried out the raid.

Sources said the police had got clue about printing of fake currency notes in the state after it arrested a college student from Baripada on March 9. The youth was identified as Shagen Tudu. He was caught while trying to use fake note of the face value Rs 500 at a shop in Sunagadia area.

The police had seized papers used in printing fake currency notes, colour printer and cartridge from the spot.

At least 32 counterfeit notes of Rs 500 denomination were seized. All the currencies bore identical series and serial number, the police had said earlier.

Shagen during interrogation had revealed that he had got the notes from a friend residing in Patia area in Bhubaneswar.