Fake notes found in shoe soles, man arrested

The police recovered fake currency notes with a face value of Rs 4 lakh hidden in the soles of the shoes being carried by a man who was arrested here, a Kolkata Police officer said today.

Acting on a tip-off, the Special Task Force of Kolkata Police yesterday intercepted Wasim Akram near Beniapukur in central Kolkata and searched the bag he was carrying.

"Nothing much was found other than three pairs of brand new sneakers which was quite unusual. Then we found that he was walking quite awkwardly wearing a similar pair of sneakers. On search, we found the fake currency notes," the officer said.

The counterfeit notes, all in Rs 2000 denomination and having a face value of Rs 4 lakh, were hidden in the soles of the shoes in his bag and the one he was wearing, he said.

It was revealed during interrogation that Akram was planning to visit Mumbai to deliver the fake notes there, he added.

STF officers were trying to find out whether Akram, a resident of Baishnabnagar in Malda district, was working for a racket.

Malda, a district bordering Bangladesh in north Bengal, has emerged as a preferred route for fake note smugglers.