19:31
The police have seized fake Indian currency notes of nearly Rs 18 lakh face value in Palghar district of Maharashtra, and arrested a man in this connection, officials said on Tuesday.
Crime Branch Unit-2 (Vasai) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police conducted the operation on Monday.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Doiphode said, "Officers and personnel of the crime branch were conducting a routine patrolling exercise when they received a tip-off that a suspect was arriving near Shirsad Phata to exchange a large haul of fake Indian currency notes for genuine currency."
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, a team set up a trap on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway at Shirsad village, he said.
When the suspect arrived at the location, officers intercepted him and conducted a search, during which 3,582 counterfeit notes of Rs 500 denomination, amounting to Rs 17,91,000 in face value were recovered. The fake currency and the vehicle were immediately confiscated, the DCP said.
The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Atmaram Patil, 51, from Palghar. -- PTI
