Banaskantha police’s Local Crime Branch carried out a late-night raid in Mahadevia village, Deesa taluka, and uncovered a makeshift counterfeit-note factory inside an underground bunker. Officers recovered approximately ₹40 lakh in fake currency, five printers and assorted stationery. Two men — identified as Sanjay Soni and Kaushik Shrimali — were arrested on the spot. A third suspect, the landowner Raimal Singh Parmar, remains at large and is being actively sought by investigators.
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How the Operation Worked
According to police, the operation was run from a secluded farm bunker that masked printing activity from neighbours and passersby. The seized equipment suggests the group was producing notes using off-the-shelf printing hardware rather than sophisticated minting tools, a hallmark of many recent small-to-medium counterfeit rings. In initial questioning the two detained men admitted to printing fake notes, police said, and investigations are focusing on how the notes entered local markets and whether a wider distribution network exists.
Legal Background and Risks
Raimal Singh Parmar is no stranger to law enforcement: the police records show roughly 16 prior criminal cases against him, including extortion and violent offences, and earlier action under Gujarat’s stringent security provisions. Counterfeit currency, even in amounts that may appear modest, can distort transaction markets, enable fraud and feed other criminal economies. Authorities will work to trace serial numbers and transaction pathways, and may involve central agencies if evidence points to interstate distribution or organized smuggling.
What the Investigation Will Seek
Police said they are examining how long the unit was operational, estimating output and tracking whether the gang used local agents to circulate notes. Search operations for Parmar have been intensified. For now the arrests have disrupted a clandestine production line, but officials warn that the incident underscores the need for constant vigilance and stronger forensic tracing to prevent counterfeit currency from eroding public trust in cash transactions. “We will follow every lead to dismantle the network,” a senior officer said.