Ahmedabad: The Vatva Police and Local Crime Branch (LCB) have unearthed a counterfeit currency racket and seized fake Indian currency notes with a face value of approximately Rs 28.94 lakh, officials said on Saturday. Police have arrested six persons, including an alleged supplier, while one accused in the case was found dead earlier.

The breakthrough came during the investigation of a murder case registered at Vatva Police Station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). During the probe, police recovered equipment used for printing fake Indian currency notes from a flat in Vatva linked to the deceased accused, Imran Sabbir Sindha.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Imran and his associates had allegedly rented a house at Satej Homes in Vatva in March 2026 and set up a counterfeit currency manufacturing unit. Police said the group used printers, laptops and other equipment to print fake Rs 500 notes and circulate them in the market through various individuals.

According to investigators, a total of five accused and a juvenile had conspired to manufacture counterfeit notes. During the initial operation, police recovered 11 fake Rs 500 notes from the possession of accused Virendra Singh alias Viru Baghel and Chandramohan Sharma.

A separate case was registered at Vatva Police Station under relevant provisions of the BNS dealing with counterfeiting and criminal conspiracy.

During the investigation, police found that the gang had allegedly printed fake currency worth nearly Rs 60 lakh. Following the murder of the main accused, Imran Sindha, the remaining accused allegedly fled with fake notes worth around Rs 30 lakh, along with printers, laptops and other equipment used in the operation.

Police teams traced the accused to multiple locations across states. Counterfeit notes, laptops and related materials were recovered from the residence of accused Chandramohan Sharma in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, while printing equipment was seized from a relative’s house of accused Virendra Singh in Dholpur, Rajasthan. In total, fake currency notes worth Rs 28.94 lakh were recovered and seized.

Based on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, police also arrested Merajbhai Kursibhai Rabari (49) from Banaskantha district. Further investigation is underway to identify additional links and determine the extent of circulation of the counterfeit notes.

Accused Arrested

• Suraj Sahani (20)
• Ravikumar Shah (23)
• Virendra Singh alias Viru Baghel (25)
• Chandramohan Sharma (23)
• Merajbhai Kursibhai Rabari (49)
• One juvenile in conflict with law

The deceased accused, Imran Sabbir Sindha, was allegedly the mastermind behind the operation.

Previous Criminal Records

Police said Imran Sindha had previously been booked in counterfeit currency cases in Godhra and Surat under provisions related to fake currency circulation.

Merajbhai Rabari also has prior cases registered against him, including offences related to counterfeit currency and theft. Officials noted that he had been convicted in earlier fake currency cases.

Ahmedabad Police said efforts are continuing to trace the wider network involved in the manufacture and circulation of counterfeit currency and to determine whether the racket had links outside Gujarat. DeshGujarat