A suspected counterfeit ₹500 note used to purchase a packet of cigarettes at a grocery store in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district has led police to uncover an alleged counterfeit currency printing operation on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Following the investigation, police arrested an MBA graduate, who they claim had previously been arrested in a fake currency case and resumed the illegal activity shortly after being released from prison.
According to police, on July 2, two men arrived in a blue Maruti Alto at a grocery store in Hosahalli Kaimara village in CN Halli taluk of Tumakuru district and purchased a packet of cigarettes. They paid with a ₹500 note, and the shopkeeper returned ₹370 as change. Upon examining the note more carefully later, she suspected it was counterfeit.
The shopkeeper immediately lodged a complaint at the Huliyaru Police Station, following which police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Using vehicle tracking and technical surveillance, investigators traced the suspects to a hideout in Gangondanahalli, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where a raid was conducted.
During the operation, police allegedly recovered a large quantity of counterfeit currency and arrested the prime accused, Rudresh. According to investigators, Rudresh is an MBA graduate and was also the main accused in a major counterfeit currency racket uncovered by Davanagere Police in 2024. In that earlier case, investigators had alleged that the network circulated nearly ₹20 lakh worth of fake currency within just three months.
Police claim that after recently being released from prison, Rudresh restarted the alleged counterfeit note printing operation from Gangondanahalli. However, investigators said that the use of a suspected fake ₹500 note during an ordinary retail purchase ultimately led them to the entire operation.
The counterfeit currency recovered during the raid has been seized for forensic examination. Investigators are now trying to determine how many fake notes had already entered circulation, the scale of the alleged network, and whether additional individuals were involved in printing or distributing the counterfeit currency.
Police said the investigation is continuing, with digital and forensic evidence being analysed to identify other suspects. Authorities are also examining whether the alleged racket has links to a larger inter-state counterfeit currency network.
The allegations made by the police remain under investigation, and the final findings will be determined through the due process of law.
