‘RBI’, ‘Bharat’: Delhi Customs seize 203 sheets of currency paper with security thread; 3 held

Delhi: Delhi Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate has seized 203 sheets of high-quality currency paper with embedded security thread having inscriptions of ‘RBI’ and ‘Bharat.’

The consignment had arrived from Hong Kong on January 24 at New Courier Terminal (NCT), Delhi. Considering the economic security ramifications, the case was taken over by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on February 3 for further investigation.

In a swift follow-up action, the DRI arrested two persons found to be the actual importers of such currency paper in Ghazipur District, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengaluru, Karnataka. The intended recipient/buyer of such paper was also apprehended by the DRI in Rajasthan on February 9. He admitted to having previously purchased currency paper from the importer to print fake Indian currency notes. A search of his residential premises in Bhiwani district, Haryana, led to the recovery of various incriminating evidence, including a printer and partially printed fake Indian currency notes.

Accordingly, the matter was handed over to the Haryana Police for further action and investigation for offenses under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

As part of the same operation, the DRI intercepted two more persons in Thane district, Maharashtra, along with various incriminating pieces of evidence such as Photoshop files with different typesets of the Rs 500 currency notes, currency paper with security thread, etc. The matter was handed over to the Maharashtra Police for further action under BNS.

Both the persons in Thane and one person in Haryana, who were found to be engaged in printing FICN, have been arrested by the Maharashtra and the Haryana Police, respectively.

FIRs have also been registered in both cases under BNS based on complaints made by DRI officers.