M A I N   N E W S

Computer buffs in fake note case
Rs 11.30 lakh seized
From Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

KARTARPUR (Jalandhar) March 29 — Fake currency is not flowing in from Pakistan alone, but some computer professionals, supported by some unscrupulous elements, are also busy pumping fake currency in the market in large quantities here with the help of sophisticated computer equipment.

Fake currency being pushed in India by Pakistan’s ISI is mostly of Rs 500 denomination, but the ones printed here are of Rs 100 denomination and below as has been indicated by the recovery of such notes worth Rs 11.30 lakh by the Kartarpur police from a seven-member gang, two members of which are young computer professionals.

The gang, six members of which have been arrested, operated from Johal village on the city outskirts, where they had installed hi-tech equipment including specially programmed advanced computer, a scanner, a top-quality high-resolution colour laserjet-4500 printer and a paper cutter for printing of fake notes.

The gang, which had been active for the past three months, had plans to print Rs 50 lakh in the first phase, but their plans went sour following the leakage of information to the police by one of their member. They had planned to offer double amount of fake currency against original notes, of the same amount, official sources said.

The the two computer professionals — Chander Sharma of Deep Nagar locality and Vijay Kumar of Mohalla No. 45 in the local cantonment area, were getting salaries in addition to a 10 per cent commission on the sold notes. While Vijay Kumar has absconded, the other six members arrested were Ajit Singh of Jaitowali village, Surinder Singh of Johal village, Surinder Singh Sodhi of Basti Nau, Gurbax Singh of Tanda in Hoshiarpur district and Kailash Chander. Ajit Singh, an owner of a finance company, and Surinder Singh Sodhi had invested about Rs 3 lakh in the project after roping in Chander Sharma (22), an unemployed computer professional and a graduate, who came into their contact through Kailash Chander, Mr Gaurav Yadav, SSP, said.

They were planning the printing of fake currency for a couple of months, but the “profitable” venture of the gang took off only in January after Sodhi and Ajit Singh managed to lay their hands on the hi-tech computer equipment from Delhi and installed it in a rented house at Johal village. After printing currency worth Rs 10 lakh, the gang members had dismantled the equipment and hid it in their houses so as to restart the printing business after disposing of the Rs 100 notes lying with them. Mr Jatinder Singh, DSP (Rural) said unlike normal duplication computer network, the computer apparatus used by the gang was programmed in such a way that it could even duplicate notes in different series.