Two persons were arrested by Raibania police in Balasore district on Monday on the charges of circulating counterfeit currency notes in the area. Police also seized 98 fake currency notes of Rs 1000 denomination from them.
Irshad Khan and Araf Khan of Olamara village had given Rs 17,000 (17 notes of Rs 1000 denomination) as advance payment to one Shimal Baske of Chotabegunia village to purchase cattle from him.
OIC of Raibania police station Bhabagrahi Barik said when Baske gave one of the notes to a shop-keeper in his area to purchase some goods, the shop-keeper found the note to be a fake one. Subsequently, when checked, all the 17 notes were found to be counterfeit.
Later, the villagers searched for the two and caught them. Police also found 81 more counterfeit notes from their possession. “During investigation, they admitted to have brought the notes from the cattle market at Khadia in West Bengal,” the officer added.