HYDERABAD: The Task Force and South Zone team, in a joint operation with Chandrayangutta police, on Monday apprehended two persons who were allegedly involved in the printing and circulation of counterfeit currency in Telangana as well as other States.
The police seized counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs 27 lakh, a printer and a laminator from the arrested persons who were identified as Hassan Bin Hamood, 31, an auto driver, and a resident of Falaknuma, and Rameshwari, a resident of Kosgi, of Narayanpet district.
One more accused, Kasturi Ramesh Babu (35), is at large. The police said that the accused were wanted for similar cases registered in different police stations in the city.
According to the police, Kasturi Ramesh Babu, the prime accused, was arrested by Gopalauram police in September 2022 for printing and circulating fake currency. While serving a jail term, he became acquainted with Hassan Bin Hamood. Both of them hatched a plan to print and circulate counterfeit currency.
After being released from jail, Ramesh Babu and his family shifted to Tandur, where they continued their illegal activity printing fake Rs 500 notes. They used a green foil to replicate the security thread in the original Rs 500 note. When they attempted to circulate the fake currency in Gujarat, they were arrested by the police there in January this year. Subsequently, according to DCP (crime), Dr Shabarish P Rameshwari, the sister of Ramesh Babu, contacted Hassan Bin Hamood and shifted the fake currency-making machinery to Chandrayangutta.