The sleuths of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) claimed to have arrested the mastermind of the gang engaged in supply of fake Indian currency notes (FICN).

The anti-terror agency has already arrested four members of the gang since last week of January this year.

According to an official communiqué, the ATS had received intelligence that some people from Uttar Pradesh were in contact with the fake Indian currency notes smuggling gang of West Bengal and were bringing counterfeit currency printed in Bangladesh from West Bengal to different districts of Uttar Pradesh. After developing the inputs, the ATS sleuths arrested two accused, identified as Deepak Kumar and Chandan Sainik on January 27 last and two more accused, Ankur Maurya and Vipin Gupta alias Avnish, last Tuesday.

The ATS claimed to have recovered fake notes of face value totaling Rs 97,500 and Rs 45,000 respectively from their possession.

The ATS team registered two separate cases under sections 489B and 489C of the Indian Penal Code at Pandeypur police station in Lalpur locality of Varanasi respectively.

The ATS claimed that during interrogation of the accused, it came to light that one Achhelal Chaurasia alias Bachha of Madhavpur locality under Maheshganj police station of Pratapgarh district was the mastermind of the gang. Subsequently the ATS found out his whereabouts and on late night on Wednesday traced his location and arrested him from Pandeypur police station area in Varanasi district.

During the search, the ATS recovered fake Indian currency notes of face value Rs 1,51,500 from Chaurasia’s possession along with PAN and ATM cards etc.

During the preliminary probe, it came to light that Chaurasia was in contact with fake currency smugglers of Malda in West Bengal. The smugglers of Malda used to bring fake Indian currency notes from Bangladesh international border and give it to the arrested accused or the carriers mentioned by him.

Chaurasia disclosed that he formed a gang with the help of the accused held earlier and with their help he was distributing fake Indian currency notes in different parts of Uttar Pradesh.

The arrested accused was lodged in the lockup of Pandeypur police station and further action is being taken at the police station level.