Hathras: A case has been registered after counterfeit ₹100 currency notes allegedly sent from the State Bank of India’s main branch currency chest in Hathras were detected at the Reserve Bank of India. The FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons following a complaint by the RBI, and police have initiated an investigation into how the suspected fake notes entered the banking system.
Fake Notes Detected At RBI
According to the complaint, the currency consignment was dispatched from the SBI currency chest in Hathras to the RBI in December 2022. During verification at the RBI, certain ₹100 notes were allegedly found to be counterfeit.
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Following the detection, directions were reportedly issued on January 10, 2023, to initiate legal action. The FIR has now been registered after the complaint from the RBI’s Issue Department in Kanpur was formally received by local police.
Officials said the complaint was filed by Praneet Pinjarla, Manager of the RBI’s Issue Department in Kanpur. Based on the complaint, police have registered a case against unknown persons and begun collecting documentary and technical evidence.
Currency Chest Process Under Lens
The case has raised concerns because currency chests operate under strict security protocols and multiple levels of verification before cash is transferred to the central bank.
Investigators are examining whether the alleged counterfeit notes entered the system due to procedural lapses, human error or deliberate criminal activity.
Authorities are also investigating the quality of the counterfeit notes. Preliminary information suggests that the suspected fake notes closely resembled genuine currency, making them difficult to detect during routine handling.
Chain Of Custody Being Examined
Police are reviewing records related to currency handling, transportation, storage and verification procedures. CCTV footage, transaction logs, documentation and the chain of custody of the cash consignment are also expected to form part of the investigation.
Investigators have not ruled out any possibility at this stage. They are examining whether the incident was the result of actions by individuals within the cash-handling process or whether it could be linked to a larger counterfeit currency network.
According to available information, details of the offence have also been uploaded to the National Crime Records Bureau database as part of the investigation process.
Police said they are working to identify the source of the suspected counterfeit notes and establish the full chain of events leading to their detection at the RBI. No arrests have been reported so far.
