Nagpur:
In a shocking incident from Nagpur, a man allegedly printed counterfeit Rs 500 notes worth Rs 37 lakh inside a rented room, reportedly amid a dispute over unpaid rent. The racket came to light after the landlord broke the lock on the room when the tenant remained absent for several days.
When Wathoda police reached the spot, they were stunned to discover bundles of counterfeit currency, a printer and printing material inside the room. Police also recovered partially printed notes and other material worth approximately Rs 48 lakh.
The accused has been identified as Pushpak Krishna Bhandarkar, alias Bendane, a resident of Trimurti Nagar in Nagpur. He is currently on the run, and police have launched a search for him.
According to the information, Pushpak had rented the room in the Kharbi area around one-and-a-half years ago. His rental agreement expired in January, and he had allegedly stopped paying rent for several months.
When the landlord, Ramesh, asked him to vacate the premises, Pushpak allegedly threatened him with a knife. Ramesh subsequently approached Wathoda Police, where a non-cognisable complaint was registered.
As the tenant had not visited the room for a long time, the landlord eventually broke the lock with a hammer on Saturday. Upon entering, he spotted bundles of currency notes inside a bucket, sheets of paper scattered around and a printer installed in the room.
Alarmed by the discovery, Ramesh immediately informed the cops.
Police teams reached the spot and found bundles of counterfeit Rs 500 notes. A counting machine was brought in to assess the quantity of currency recovered. Preliminary examination indicated that the accused had allegedly printed counterfeit notes worth Rs 37 lakh.
Investigators also found partially printed currency notes and printing materials. The total value of the notes and material recovered was estimated at approximately Rs 48 lakh, including notes printed on one side while the other side remained blank.
Police seized the entire material and began searching for Pushpak. When investigators contacted him, they learnt that he was in Mumbai. A police team is expected to be sent to Mumbai to trace and arrest him.
The investigation is underway, and police are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged counterfeit currency operation.