Fake notes worth Rs 37 lakh seized from rented room in Nagpur's Wathoda; accused absconding

Counterfeit notes worth Rs 37 lakh were recovered on Saturday afternoon from a rented room in the Wathoda police station area of Nagpur. The young man living in the room was printing fake notes with a printer. He is currently absconding.

Police have identified the absconding man as Pushpak Krishna Bhendarkar alias Bendane (30), a resident of Trimurtinagar. Police have begun searching for him.

Ramesh Gangadhar Harde (55) lives with his family in Chaitanyeshwarnagar, Kharbi. About a year and a half ago, Pushpak rented a room in his house. His rent agreement ended in January. For the past few months he had also not been paying rent. When Ramesh asked him to vacate the house, he threatened Ramesh with a knife.

Ramesh had complained about this at Wathoda police station, and a non-cognisable case was registered. Pushpak had not come to the house for a long time. Finally, on Saturday, Ramesh broke the lock of his room with a hammer.

On entering, he saw notes in a bucket. Papers were strewn around and a printer was set up there. Ramesh was stunned at the sight. He immediately informed the police.

On receiving the information, Wathoda police reached the spot. A search of the room turned up bundles of Rs 500 notes. A machine was brought in to count them, and it emerged that Pushpak had already printed fake notes worth Rs 37 lakh. Printing material was also lying in the room.

Police also found about Rs 48 lakh worth of notes printed on one side, with the other side left blank. Police seized all of it.

When police contacted Pushpak, it emerged that he is in Mumbai. Information was received that he had gone to Mumbai to strike a deal for the notes. A team will leave soon to arrest him.

It was said that Pushpak had been printing fake notes for the past year and a half. Though he is a resident of Nagpur, he rented this room, and did so only to make fake notes.

How many notes he printed earlier and how many are circulating in the market will be known only after he is caught. Police claim that the notes printed by Pushpak look completely genuine. People who handle notes daily and know about currency will easily spot the fake notes, but it is difficult for ordinary people to tell real from fake. Police were also questioning his family members.