Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Intelligence unit, Special Operation Group (SOG) and local Almora police have arrested three persons and recovered fake Indian currency notes with face value of Rs 2 lakh from their possession in Almora district. The accused have been identified as Balmiki Choudhary, native of Malda (West Bengal) alias lalan Bukan, Gariba Mahto, native of Sahebganj (Jharkhand) and Samar Kumar Mandal alias Saumur, native of Katihar (Bihar).
Things followed after a shop owner Omnath Arya, resident of Dwarhat (Almora), registered a complaint at police station on Wednesday. In his written complaint, he stated that one unidentified person had purchased a pair of shoes and had given him a currency note of Rs 1000. The price of the shoe was Rs 100 and he had returned him Rs 900. later, doubt arose in his mind and subsequently he found that the note was a counterfeit currency note. later, it was checked by police and his suspicion was proved right.
Acting on the complaint, a case under sections 420/469(b/c) of IPC was registered against unidentified accused in the police station, Dwarhat. A team led by Darban Singh was formed to crack the case. This apart, one team each was formed from the Intelligence staff and SOG. They were pressed into operation to crack the case.
later, acting on a tip- off, team members arrested three persons and recovered Rs 2 lakh in fake Indian currency and Rs 1.05 lakh in Indian currency note from their possession. Interrogation revealed that the accused had used fake Indian currency notes in various places like Tanakpur, Khatima, Kichha, Haldwani, Bhawali and Ranikhet. Team members who played significant role in cracking the case are Vijay Mehta, Darban Singh, Deepak Khanka, Trilok Singh Rautela, Pawan Thuwal, Tikaram, Jeevan Singh, Sanjay and Santosh.
State DGP MA Ganapathy congratulated the team members for cracking the case. Ganapathy, Kumaon DIG Ajay Rautela and Almora SP announced reward of Rs 20,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,500 respectively for the team members for their feat to crack the case.