Rs 89 lakh in counterfeit money seized in Andhra, 5 held

Five members of a gang printing counterfeit currency notes were arrested in Andhra Pradesh`s East Godavari district and fake notes with a face value of Rs 89 lakh seized from them, police said on Monday. 

The arrested were identified as Dangeti Srinivas Rao, 52, Dangeti Venkata Brahmaji, 26, Dommeti Dasaradha Ramudu, Undru China Mavulla, 39 and Puliyat Ram Kumar, 29. 

According to a police official, Rao, a carpenter in Rampachodavam, had lost money in some illegal businesses involving colour stones and idols, and with an intention to gain money illegally, hatched a plan to make fake currency and stuff them in the middle of currency bundles to pass on to gullible people. 

He proposed the idea to his friends Ramudu and Mavullu, who readily agreed to print Rs 1 crore fake money, and they took the help of Rao`s son Brahmaji, who runs Sri Lakshmi photo studio in Sankatarevu village. 

The gang printed some Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes using a computer, printer and a scanner in the photo studio. 

The gang also entered an agreement to buy an old idol of snake goddess Nagadevatha from Bokka Narayana, a priest from Pithapuram, for Rs 30 lakh. 

"The idol was owned by Narayana. He brought it from his home and not from any temple," a police official told IANS. 

The accused paid Narayana Rs 10 lakh in fake currency as advance, which he was oblivious too, and took possession of the small idol, believed to be made of `panchaloha` (five metals). 

Police recovered the Rs 10 lakh counterfeit currency from Narayana and varying amounts from the accused, all of which totalled to Rs 89 lakh and comprised 4,211 fake Rs 2,000 notes and 900 fake Rs 500 notes, all fake. 

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The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and sent to jail.