Madhubani. Taking a major action in Madhubani district of Bihar, Saharanpur Police of Uttar Pradesh has arrested an accused associated with an interstate gang involved in making fake coins and supplying them in various markets of the country. The arrested accused has been identified as Mithilesh Chaurasia, resident of Ladugaon in Rajnagar police station area. According to the police, the accused is associated with a gang which is accused of circulating fake coins worth about Rs 70 crore in the market. Late evening on Thursday, October 22, Saharanpur police, with the help of local Rajnagar police station, conducted a raid in Ladugaon and arrested Mithilesh. On Friday, the police took him with them to Uttar Pradesh. After this arrest, many new revelations related to the interstate network of fake coins are expected.
Raid in Ladugaon and arrested the accused
According to the information, Saharanpur Police was searching for Mithilesh Chaurasia for the last several days. His name had come up during the interrogation and investigation of other accused arrested in the fake coins case.
After this, a police team led by Sub-Inspector Iqbal Singh Tomar of Saharanpur Nagar police station reached Madhubani district of Bihar. The team contacted Rajnagar police station and started searching for the accused.
Late Thursday evening, police raided Ladugaon and arrested Mithilesh Chaurasia. Rajnagar police station incharge Satyendra Kumar confirmed the arrest.
After completing the legal formalities, Saharanpur police took action to take the accused with them. The police have also obtained his transit remand.
Fake coin gang was exposed on 12th September
This case started with a major action by Saharanpur Police in September. On September 12, the police had arrested five members of a gang involved in making fake coins and supplying them in the market.
The alleged gang leader Upkar Luthra alias Abhay Pratap Singh was also among the arrested accused.
Apart from this, Himanshu alias Gullu, Kuldeep, Santosh Chaurasia alias Janardan and Anurag Pal alias Lankesh were arrested.
The arrested Santosh Chaurasia is also a resident of Ladugaon, Madhubani. According to the police, Mithilesh Chaurasia is Santosh’s brother and his name was also registered in the case.
Since then the police was busy trying to arrest him.
Six machines and thousands of fake coins recovered
Saharanpur Police had recovered a large quantity of fake coins and equipment used to make them during the operation against the gang in September.
According to the police, 6,400 fake coins of Rs 20 each were found in the possession of the accused. Their total marked price was Rs 1 lakh 28 thousand.
Apart from this, semi-finished coins worth about Rs 5 lakh, six coin making machines, iron die and other equipment were recovered.
The recovered items also included eight mobile phones, electronic equipment, two cars, seven accounting registers, a check book and other documents.
On the basis of these goods, the police are investigating the gang’s business and supply network.
The gang used to make 10 to 12 thousand coins daily
In the initial investigation of the police, many important information came to light regarding the method of preparing fake coins and their supply.
According to the police, the gang used to produce around 10 to 12 thousand fake coins every day with the help of six machines.
The cost of making a fake coin was around Rs 5 to 6, whereas its face value was Rs 20.
The gang used to supply these coins through agents instead of directly selling them in the market.
According to the police, fake coins of Rs 20 were given to the agents for around Rs 12 to 15. After this, agents used to run them in different markets.
In this way the gang tried to pass off fake coins in the market as real currency.
The network extended to liquor shops and toll plazas
Investigation revealed that the gang used to target such places where a large number of cash transactions take place to circulate fake coins.
According to the police, attempts were made to introduce fake coins into the market through liquor shops, toll plazas and grocery stores.
Due to continuous cash transactions at these places, there was a possibility of fake coins not being identified.
Police are now trying to find out how many agents were in contact with the gang and in which states the fake coins were supplied.
Fake coin factory was running in Haryana
Investigation of the case has also revealed that the gang has links with Sonipat district of Haryana.
According to the police, a factory for making fake coins was being operated in an industrial area of Sonipat.
Gang leader Upkar Luthra along with his associates was planning to set up a new hideout in Saharanpur also.
After the police got information about this, action was taken in September and five accused were arrested.
Now the investigating agencies are trying to find out from where the machines, metal sheets and dyes used in manufacturing fake coins were purchased.
The accused has been the chief representative for five years
After the arrest of Mithilesh Chaurasia, the discussion has intensified in Rajnagar area of Madhubani.
According to information received from the police, Mithilesh has worked as a chief representative in Rajnagar for about five years.
Apart from this, he has also worked in many Maithili songs. At the local level, he has been recognized for his social and cultural activities.
In such a situation, interstate fall of fake coins
