Two tailors arrested in Delhi with Rs two lakh fake notes

Kausar Ali (32) and Bhola Kumar were apprehended from Khyala by a team of Delhi Police's Crime Branch on a tip off on Sunday, Ashok Chand, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), told reporters here.

"Ali belongs to Champaran in Bihar while Kumar is from Motihari in the same state. Ali who has relatives in Nepal used to go to Birganj in Nepal to procure fake currency. He had visited Nepal 10-12 times and each time brought Rs two lakh. He used to go there every month," he said.

Ali allegedly used to buy Rs 500 denomination fake notes by paying Rs 200-250 and Rs 1,000 denomination fake notes for Rs 600-620, Chand said, adding that he is believed to have brought around Rs 24 lakh fake notes in the past one year.

According to the official, 1,000 fake notes with Rs 1,000 denomination and 2,000 fake notes with Rs 500 denomination were recovered from them. A case has been registered and further investigations are on.

Asked about the origin of the counterfeit notes, a senior police official said they believe that the counterfeit currencies are not printed in Nepal and is supplied by Pakistan's ISI.

"The arrested duo may be conduits of a gang used by the Pakistan intelligence agency," he said. According to Delhi Police statistics, investigators have seized fake currency with a face of value of around Rs 14 lakh this year so far while the figure for last year was Rs 28.84 lakh.

On March six, Delhi Police had arrested three youths, including one who "worked" as a communication expert with Hizbul Mujahiddin, allegedly counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs ten lakh.

Mohd Yunus (32), who allegedly has links with Hizb, Sirajuddin (26) and a graphic designer Mohd Asif (26) were apprehended from near Khan Market. According to reports, the government has pegged that fake currency with a face value of Rs 16,000 crore is circulating in the country.

The 2011 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report of the US State Department has said that India faces an increasing inflow of counterfeit currency, produced primarily in Pakistan, and terrorist and criminal networks use this money to finance their activities in the country.