The Soro police have arrested 11 persons, including a woman, of a fake Hanuman coin racket.
The accused were identified as Arun Malick, and his wife Santilata Mallick, Suvendu Malick, Manoj Jena, Ananda lenka, Prasant Sethi, Markanda Sethi, Prasanta Malick, Prafulla Dalei, Prafulla Barik and SK Samsur.
The accused persons were nabbed by a raid by police when they were having a deal in a roadside dhaba near Bahanaga. They were forwarded to court later.
Police besides seizing a coin inscribed with 1617 AD of East India Company, also seized 22 mobile handsets, a car and `12,000 cash from their possession.
Police said the Malick couple possessed the coin and demanded `3 crore in lieu of it. The nine others belong to the buyers as well as the middlemen. Police said the coin would be sent to Bhubaneswar laboratory for its testing and ascertain whether it belongs to antique category.
“Some people have a craze for Hanuman coin as it is believed by gullible people that it possesses some mysterious power. This has led to many crimes in past,” said Soro IIC Nayak.