Youth circulated counterfeit currency notes among migrants: Kerala …

By Express News Service KOCHI: The police are investigating the seizure of counterfeit currency notes from a youth at Puthupady near Kothamangalam and suspect that he circulated the fake notes among migrant workers. The Muvattupuzha police are seeking custody of the accused, Praveen Shaji, 24, for further investigation, and plan to file an application at the Judicial First-Class Magistrate for this purpose.

The Ernakulam Rural SP Vivek Kumar has directed a detailed probe into the incident. According to police sources, Praveen electronically scanned original currency notes and later edited them on his computer before taking colour prints that closely resembled real currency notes. Police recovered the printer and scanner from his shop at Puthupady.

As many migrant workers live in the area, police suspect that he may have cheated them by giving them fake currency notes. However, a detailed interrogation of the accused is required to verify the trail of the counterfeits printed by him. He used specific size papers to print the fake currency notes so that they would not be easily detected.

The fraud came to light after Praveen used a fake Rs 500 currency note at a petrol pump near Kizhakkekara.

The petrol pump owner approached the police with the fake note, and an investigation was launched.