Malerkotla Counter-Intelligence Operation: Fake Currency Racket Worth ₹5.50 Lakh Busted; Four Smugglers Arrested

May 18, 2026

The Counter-Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police (Patiala/Malerkotla Unit) has busted a major racket involving Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN). In connection with this case, the police have arrested four accused individuals and recovered counterfeit notes worth ₹5.50 lakh all in the denomination of ₹500, from their possession. One of the arrested accused has a prior criminal record and has previously been involved in a case registered under the NDPS Act.

Police Apprehend Four Accused Red-Handed

During this special operation, the police team apprehended the four accused individuals red-handed. Upon searching them, counterfeit Indian currency notes totaling ₹5.50 lakh were recovered from their possession. A startling revelation is that all these counterfeit notes were fabricated in the form of ₹500 notes to facilitate their easy circulation within the market.

One of the Accused Has a Criminal Record

Preliminary investigations have revealed that one of the arrested accused possesses a tainted background. This particular accused is already named in a case registered under the NDPS Act, involving the trafficking of narcotics.

Case Registered Under Relevant Sections

An FIR regarding this entire network has been registered at the Himmatana Police Station in Malerkotla under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police have now taken the accused into custody on remand and are subjecting them to rigorous interrogation

Police Working to Uncover the Entire Syndicate

Counter-Intelligence teams are currently working to ascertain the location where these counterfeit notes were being printed and the various destinations to which they were intended to be supplied. The police are thoroughly investigating the ‘forward and backward linkages’ (connections) of this syndicate in an effort to uncover the entire racket from its very roots.