Cops caution Mumbaikars, as two arrested for circulating fake notes

How to identify genuine notes

Mumbai police have cautioned shopkeepers across the city after Crime Branch officers arrested two for circulating fake currency. Asabullah Shaikh, 28, a carpenter, circulated fake currency through small shops and street-side hawkers in Mumbai and Thane. Crime branch on February 27 arrested him and Asmi Karmkar, 33, for circulating Rs 4 lakh in fake currency.

According to the police, accused Karmkar would travel to Mumbai with the fake currency from West Bengal and hand it over to Shaikh, who then brought it into circulation here.

Modus operandi
Shaikh, who worked as a carpenter by the day, would visit crowded shops late in the evening to buy goods valuing around Rs 200-500, give a Rs 2,000 note and receive change in genuine currency. During investigation, Shaikh revealed that he had successfully circulated Rs 4 lakh in the Mumbai market within four months last year. He would visit markets in Kandivili, Nalasopara, Vasai Road, and Bhiwandi during the evening rush hours when the shopkeepers didn't have the time to check the notes properly nor the daylight to verify notes.

From clothes to accessories, he used the fake currency to buy a variety of goods, shopping for close to Rs 3,000 to 4,000 daily, and earn around Rs 2,500 to 3,000 (real currency)as change in return.

First arrest
He also confessed to having been caught three times. But he escaped the situation by saying that he was given the fake note by some other shopkeeper and that he would deposit it into a bank.

Shaikh was arrested by crime branch in 2011 with fake currency and was in jail for a year and a half but he visited West Bengal yet again after his release to continue the fake currency business. While his partners did not immediately trust him, he ultimately did win their confidence and secured larger amounts of fake currency from them.

(From left) Asabullah Shaikh and Asmi Karmkar were arrested by Crime Branch last month

Pakistan link?
Sources revealed that the accused from Malda, West Bengal, is likely to be involved in a cross-border racket as Bangladesh is hardly 10-15 kms from his native. Fake currencies are procured from a Bangladeshi agent, sources added, also pointing to links with Pakistan. Crime branch officers now plan to visit Malda to investigate the nexus. Shaikh has revealed the names of seven to eight others who might be involved in the racket.

Also read: Kandivli resident arrested for possessing fake currency worth Rs 28 thousand

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