A clandestine syndicate manufacturing and distributing counterfeit Indian currency has been dismantled in the national capital following a targeted operation by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. Law enforcement officers took four individuals into custody, including the primary mastermind behind the illegal minting setup. During the coordinated raid, police recovered 5,000 counterfeit coins in the 20-rupee denomination, holding a combined face value of 100,000 rupees. Preliminary findings reveal that the network functioned through a well-structured supply chain designed to inject fabricated coins into local retail commerce at steep discounts.
Surveillance Operation at Mundka Industrial Area
The breakthrough originated on September 8 following actionable intelligence received by investigators regarding an impending consignment delivery. Informants indicated that a vehicle ferrying a substantial batch of fake currency would pull up in the vicinity of the Mundka Industrial Area metro station. Acting swiftly, crime branch detectives established perimeter cordons around the designated drop point. When a car driven by 45-year-old Paras Jain entered the surveillance zone, personnel intercepted the vehicle and initiated a thorough cabin search. A suspicious bag discovered on the rear seat confirmed suspicions.
Fifty Polythene Pouches Concealed Inside Vehicle
Upon inspecting the contents of the luggage recovered from the passenger compartment, officers discovered fifty separate polythene pouches. Each packet had been tightly packed with fake twenty-rupee coins, adding up to 5,000 pieces. Aside from impounding the fabricated metal currency, officers seized an iPhone, a laptop case, and the motor vehicle deployed to ferry the consignment. Investigators noted that the automobile was being used as an unscheduled carrier to avoid transit checkpoints.
Wholesale Discount Scheme Uncovered During Interrogation
Subsequent interrogation of Paras Jain yielded operational details regarding how the syndicate generated profit from circulation. Jain confessed that the shipment had been procured directly from 58-year-old Upkar Luthra, who also operated under the alias Abhay Pratap Singh. The syndicate offered counterfeit currency with a nominal worth of 100,000 rupees for approximately 70,000 rupees in cash. This thirty percent markdown served as an incentive for intermediaries tasked with dispersing the metal tokens across public transit hubs, mom-and-pop stores, and wholesale distribution lines.
Attempted Relocation of Manufacturing Workshop
Following the interception of Paras Jain, ringleader Upkar Luthra attempted an emergency evacuation of his illegal mint. The workshop, originally functioning inside Sonipat in Haryana, was slated for immediate relocation across state borders into Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. However, as the production hardware and machinery were in transit, the Special Operation Group of the Saharanpur Police intercepted Luthra alongside his transport team. Delhi Police subsequently initiated formal judicial procedures, securing production warrants to transfer five suspects from Saharanpur jail to a Delhi courtroom for remand.
Custodial Interrogations and Formal Legal Arrests
Following sustained custodial questioning in Delhi, investigators formally recorded the arrests of kingpin Upkar Luthra, Anurag Pal alias Lankesh, and Janardan Kumar Chaurasia alias Santosh. Together with the initial arrest of Paras Jain, four active syndicate operatives have been formally booked in the criminal conspiracy. Investigators also subjected two other detained associates, identified as Kuldeep and Himanshu alias Gullu, to detailed questioning to map out remaining distributors and raw material suppliers.
