NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has busted an alleged counterfeit coin manufacturing and supply racket with the arrest of four people, including the suspected kingpin.
Police recovered fake Rs 20 coins with a total face value of around Rs one lakh from a car near Mundka Industrial Area Metro Station, where a 45-year-old man was allegedly caught transporting the consignment for further circulation.
The accused have been identified as Paras Jain, a resident of Delhi, Upkar Luthra alias Abhay Pratap Singh, a resident of Punjab, Anurag Pal alias Lankesh, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, and Janardan Kumar Chaurasia alias Santosh, a resident of Bihar.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Harsh Indora said that they got a tip-off on September 8 that one Paras Jain would supply counterfeit Rs 20 coins near Mundka Industrial Area Metro Station. The accused was intercepted and counterfeit Rs 20 denomination coins having face value of around Rs one lakh recovered from his car.
During interrogation, Jain disclosed that he had procured the counterfeit coins from one Upkar Luthra alias Abhay Pratap Singh, a resident of Panchkula/Mohali area, who was supplying such counterfeit coins at a discounted rate of around Rs 70,000 against a face value of Rs one lakh for further sale and circulation.
He further disclosed that the consignment had been delivered to him on September 7 for onward supply.
Police found that Luthra was previously involved in similar cases. It was further revealed that after the arrest of Jain, Luthra was shifting the manufacturing unit from Sonipat (Haryana) to Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) along with his associates. While shifting, Luthra and his associates were arrested, the DCP said.
Jain was previously involved in two cases of Delhi, while Luthra was involved in six cases of Delhi, Bihar, and Haryana.
Jain was found in possession of the counterfeit coins and was engaged in their further sale/circulation. Luthra is the main supplier/manufacturer of counterfeit coins. Pal and Chaurasia were involved in the manufacturing and supply network.