Trader duped with fake currency notes featuring Anupam Kher's photo
What's the story
A bullion firm owner in Ahmedabad has reportedly been duped of ₹1.60 crore by unidentified individuals using fake currency notes with actor Anupam Kher's picture on them. The Ahmedabad City Police have filed a case based on a complaint from Mehul Thakkar, who runs a bullion firm in the Manek Chowk area. Thakkar says he was contacted by individuals interested in buying 2,100gm of gold, which led to the fraudulent transaction.
Deceptive deal
Fraudulent gold transaction at fake courier firm
The alleged fraudsters asked for the gold to be sent to a courier service on CG Road in Navrangpura on September 24. Thakkar's employees handed over the gold, and in return, they got a plastic bag that supposedly had ₹1.3 crore in cash from two men who were at the office. The duo then took off with the gold, saying they were just going to grab an extra ₹30 lakh from a nearby shop.
Counterfeit cash
Fake currency notes with Anupam Kher's picture discovered
Upon opening the plastic bag, Thakkar's employees found counterfeit notes. Inspector A A Desai from Navrangpura police station told The Indian Express that "The accused set a plot to dupe the bullion firm. Even the courier firm where the delivery of gold happened was a fake one without any registered rent agreement." He added that "They had taken the shop on rent and put a fake board of the courier firm there while promising...to sign...in a day or two."
Ongoing probe
Investigation underway, suspects remain at large
The case is currently being probed at the Navrangpura police station, and so far, nobody's been arrested. Thakkar decided to sell the gold after a call from Prashant Patel, a jewelry shop manager and a long-time business associate. Patel told Thakkar that the buyer couldn't transfer the full amount via RTGS right away and would instead give ₹1.3 crore in cash, with a promise to send the remaining ₹30 lakh the next day.