Rajkot : A vegetable vendor in Gujarat’s Rajkot who turned to printing counterfeit currency after watching an Instagram reel and later receiving training through Telegram was arrested by the police. Rajkot DCP (Crime) Jagdish Bangarwa said the accused, identified as Kishan Solanki, was printing counterfeit notes of Rs 100 and Rs 500 denominations at his house in the city’s Mandadungar area.
A joint team of the Crime Branch and SOG raided the house and caught Solanki. Police recovered 216 counterfeit Rs 100 notes and three counterfeit Rs 500 notes from the premises.The police also seized a CPU, monitor, two printers, a laminator-heater machine, butter paper, and paper carrying printed Rs 100 denominations. The total value of the seized material was estimated at Rs 65,500, police said.
Solanki told police that he worked as a vegetable vendor and had accumulated debt because of his low income. Solanki came across an Instagram reel showing how counterfeit Rs 100 and Rs 500 notes could be made while scrolling through the platform. He contacted the person behind the account and later communicated with the person through Telegram. The accused reportedly told investigators that he gave the trainer counterfeit notes worth Rs 10,000, in return for which the trainer paid him Rs 3,000.
Police are now searching for the person who allegedly provided the training and are investigating his role in the case. The investigation has also revealed that Solanki allegedly did not sell the counterfeit currency in bulk. Instead, police said, he circulated the notes himself while making small purchases at different places.
Solanki had circulated around 40 counterfeit Rs 100 notes over the past four to five months. Police said he particularly used the recently concluded Janmashtami fair to circulate the fake notes while making small purchases. Investigators believe the accused chose Rs 100 notes because small transactions may receive less scrutiny from vendors.
A court has granted the accused three days of police remand. During the remand period, investigators will question Solanki about the number of counterfeit notes he printed and circulated, the source of the equipment and his communications with the person who allegedly trained him.
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