SAS Nagar Police Bust Inter-State Fake Currency Racket; ₹9.95 Crore Seized in Dera Bassi Raid

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, November 14: In a major breakthrough against organised crime, the SAS Nagar Police exposed an inter-state fake currency syndicate operating out of Dera Bassi and seized counterfeit and discontinued notes worth ₹9 crore 99 lakh 5 thousand. The operation was carried out following the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav to intensify action against anti-social elements.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harmandeep Singh Hans (IPS) confirmed that two accused have been arrested. The suspects were identified as Sachin, a resident of Bharat Nagar, Pehowa, Kurukshetra (Haryana), and Gurdeep, a resident of Gurdev Nagar, Kurukshetra (Haryana).

The SSP said police had received a tip-off regarding the suspicious movement of two individuals linked to a fake currency network operating across state borders. Acting swiftly, special teams were formed under SP (Rural) Manpreet Singh and DSP Dera Bassi Bikramjit Singh Brar. The teams, led by Inspector Sumit Mor (SHO Dera Bassi) and Inspector Malkit Singh (Incharge, Anti-Narcotics Cell), set up a checkpoint near the PWD Rest House at Ghaggar Bridge on the old Ambala-Kalka Highway.

The suspects were intercepted while travelling in a white Scorpio-N (HR-41-M-6974). During the search, police recovered ₹11.05 lakh in genuine discontinued currency and ₹9.88 crore in duplicate and dummy notes.

Genuine currency recovered:

• ₹7,42,000 in old ₹1000 notes
• ₹3,50,000 in old ₹2000 notes
• ₹13,000 in new ₹500 notes
Total genuine currency: ₹11,05,000

Fake / duplicate / film-shoot currency recovered:

• 80 bundles of old ₹1000 notes (approx. ₹80 lakh)
• 60 bundles of new ₹500 notes (approx. ₹30 lakh)
• 439 bundles of ₹2000 notes (approx. ₹8 crore 78 lakh)
Total fake/duplicate currency: approx. ₹9 crore 88 lakh

According to the SSP, preliminary questioning revealed that the accused duped people by placing real notes on the top of bundles while filling the rest with fake currency. They have allegedly cheated individuals in Punjab as well as neighbouring states and have a criminal past involving fraud and counterfeit operations.

An earlier FIR (No. 248 dated 01/10/2025) under Sections 406, 420, and 120-B of the IPC is already registered against them at Police Station Phase-1, Mohali, in connection with a ₹7 crore fraud involving a Mohali resident in 2023. Several similar cases are also registered in Rajasthan and other states.

A new case has now been registered at Police Station Dera Bassi under Sections 318(4), 178, 179, 180, and 182 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway, and more arrests are likely.