Bhopal man circulated fake notes worth ₹6 lakh:Spent them at grocery stores paan shops; police seize ₹30 lakh printing material

A Bhopal man, Vivek Yadav, was arrested for circulating fake currency notes. During interrogation, he revealed details of his operation. Police also recovered printing equipment and raw material worth over Rs 30 lakh from his house. Fake notes circulated in local shops Vivek circulated fake Rs 500 notes at small grocery stores, paan stalls, and tea-snack hotels on the city outskirts. Areas affected included Raisen Road, 11 Mile, Eitkhedi Gunga of Berasia Road, Parvalia Road, Airport Road, Gandhi Nagar, Piplani, and Avadhpuri. He usually circulated only 3–4 fake notes a day to avoid suspicion. Arrest and court proceedings On Friday evening, Vivek went to a shop near Shanti Nagar slum in Piplani to circulate notes again. He was identified and reported to the police. After interrogation, he was presented in court on Saturday and sent to jail. Large quantity of fake notes and equipment recovered During a house search, police recovered 428 fake Rs 500 notes, totaling Rs 2,25,500. They also found raw materials and equipment capable of printing notes worth over Rs 30 lakh, including: Vivek had set up a full-scale operation to print high-quality fake notes that closely resembled real currency. Methods used by the accused Vivek explained that he bought goods worth Rs 20–50 at shops and paid with a fake Rs 500 note. He circulated notes in a similar way across 3–4 shops daily. He used some of the fake money to live a lavish lifestyle, buying expensive food and clothes from malls. Operation extended to nearby districts Vivek also circulated fake notes in Vidisha, Sehore, and Raisen. He usually carried Rs 4,000–5,000 in fake notes and returned home after spending half of them. He did everything alone, from printing notes to circulating them, without any partners. Material procured online Vivek told police that he has been doing this for the past year. He procured printing material online and printed notes himself. He is originally from Uttar Pradesh but currently resides in Karond, Bhopal. Legal action and punishment Under Indian law, printing fake notes can lead to 10 years to life imprisonment. Possessing equipment or material for printing fake notes can result in up to 7 years in jail. Police are investigating if Vivek has circulated more fake notes in the market and whether he has any accomplices. ​