Kidnap probe leads to counterfeit currency racket in Odisha's Mayurbhanj
BARIPADA: Mayurbhanj Police investigation into the abduction of a 23-year-old has led to a counterfeit currency racket which a group operated through a Ponzi scheme. After it received a complaint of 23-year-old Gajendra Behera’s abduction, Baripada Sadar police arrested a 62-year-old retired government employee Mahadev Singh. While interrogating the accused, it tracked a Ponzi scheme which led them to the fake currency racket. The revelations made by Mahadev led to the arrest of seven persons, including a woman.
Police said Mahadev was lured into the Ponzi scheme by Gajendra, his father Luta Behera and Sukram Singh around a fortnight back. They collected Rs 1 lakh from the retired government employee and promised to double the amount in just two days.
by Baripada Sadar police. (Photo | Express)
However, when Mahadev asked Luta to return his deposits with interest as promised, the latter asked him for Rs 3 lakh more assuring a return of Rs 10 lakh. On April 2, Mahadev gave the cash to Luta and group. Three days later, when he asked for his investment, Luta handed him bundles of cash worth Rs 10 lakh in a box at Jadunathpur.
However, before Mahadev could count the cash, Luta and others fled the spot in a Scorpio. A suspicious Mahadev opened the box to find apart from three Rs 100 denomination currencies, others were fake.
He then hatched a plan to abduct Gajendra and executed it on April 7. While Mahadev kept Gajendra confined in a club in his village, Luta filed a complaint with Baripada Sadar police about his missing son. The 23-year-old was rescued from the club by police and Mahadev arrested soon after. During Mahadev’s interrogation, it came to the fore that Luta and others were involved in counterfeiting currency notes in Mayurbhanj district and outside.
Their modus operandi involved asking for deposits from people with a promise to double the amount.
Luta (62), Gajendra, Sukram, Ranjita Behera (30), Shyam Bindhani (32) and Thakur Singh (30) were held running the counterfeit currency notes racket.
Additional SP Umakanta Maharana said kingpin of the racket Sanjay Behera is absconding. A case under sections 420, 354 and 357 of IPC has been registered against the accused. Maharana said three bundles of counterfeit notes, a motorcycle, a Scorpio and Bolero were seized from the accused.
Kidnapping leads to fake currency racket
Their modus operandi involved asking for deposits from people with a promise to double the amount.
Luta (62), Gajendra, Sukram, Ranjita Behera (30), Shyam Bindhani (32) and Thakur Singh (30) were held running the counterfeit currency notes racket. Additional SP Umakanta Maharana said kingpin of the racket Sanjay Behera is absconding. A case under sections 420, 354 and 357 of IPC has been registered against the accused. Maharana said three bundles of counterfeit notes, a motorcycle, a Scorpio and Bolero were seized from the accused.