Bhaskar Investigation Team. Patna<\/span>50 minutes ago<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n A counterfeit currency \u2018chest\u2019 has allegedly shifted from Nepal to Guwahati after increased restrictions by the Nepal government made it difficult to move fake notes across the border. According to agents who spoke to a Bhaskar reporter during an undercover investigation, Guwahati has now become the main distribution point from where counterfeit notes are sent to different states.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDemand from anywhere in the country is fulfilled from here,\u201d an agent identified as Raju Ranga told the reporter.<\/p>\n After reaching what the investigation describes as one of Pakistan\u2019s biggest counterfeit currency caches in India, Ranga allegedly revealed details of the network. Ranga, who works for a person identified as Ratul, is involved in supplying counterfeit notes to different parts of the country.<\/p>\n During the investigation, members of the network repeatedly monitored the reporter and allegedly suspected him of being linked to a government agency. They even discussed killing him, according to the investigation. The agents became willing to proceed with the deal after the reporter showed \u20b91.5 lakh in cash.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the first part of the investigation, Bhaskar reported that the agent\u2019s target was to circulate counterfeit currency worth \u20b980 crore during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Now, in Part 2, the investigation examines the alleged new route through Guwahati and the methods used to distribute the notes.<\/p>\n Nepal route allegedly replaced by Guwahati<\/strong><\/p>\n Before allowing the reporter to reach the alleged counterfeit currency cache in Guwahati, the agents repeatedly screened him.<\/p>\n The reporter had been speaking to Ratul on the phone for around 20 days before travelling to Guwahati. Several agents met him and tried to establish whether he was connected to an intelligence agency.<\/p>\n After gaining the reporter\u2019s confidence, Ranga, who is based in Kamakhya, allegedly revealed details about the network. He claimed responsibility for supplying counterfeit currency to different states.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: We want to work with you.<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: Who were you working with earlier?<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: The network was operating from Nepal.<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: Our work was also based in Nepal earlier. After the government changed there, the chest was shifted.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Why did that happen? Why did you have to bring the chest to India?<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: Because of the restrictions under Balendra [Shah], goods could no longer be moved across Nepal. The market there is now dead.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: We are also facing problems because of the restrictions. Help us so that the business can continue.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Is it dangerous to take the material from here?<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: Nobody can touch you in Guwahati. Our chest office is here.<\/p>\n When the reporter raised concerns about carrying counterfeit notes over long distances and the possibility of scanners detecting them, Ranga allegedly offered what he called \u201cblack-coated notes\u201d.<\/p>\n He claimed that a chemical was applied to counterfeit notes to make them appear black and that another chemical could later be used to remove the coating.<\/p>\n Pakistani notes and chemical allegedly brought through different routes<\/strong><\/p>\n During the deal, Ranga allegedly told the reporter that the network’s model had changed.<\/p>\n According to him, the counterfeit notes are printed in Pakistan and brought into India through Bangladesh before reaching Guwahati. He claimed that the chemical used to remove the black coating is brought from Myanmar.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Where do the notes and chemicals come from?<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: The notes come from Pakistan through Bangladesh, while the chemical comes from Myanmar.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: How will we clean them?<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: We will give you the chemical according to the amount of money you take.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Cleaning will take time. Who will clean so many notes?<\/p>\n Ranga<\/strong>: It takes seconds. We will explain it to you. You can clean them yourself and supply them to the market.<\/p>\n Ranga also offered to clean the notes himself, but warned that transporting cleaned notes could increase the risk of detection.<\/p>\n He then sent the reporter a video showing the alleged process.<\/p>\n As soon as the black-coated note is dipped in the chemical, it begins to look like a genuine note within a few seconds. The agent sent this video showing the cleaning of the notes to the reporter.<\/span><\/p>\n Black coating allegedly conceals counterfeit notes<\/strong><\/p>\n After several rounds of conversations, Ranga appeared to have gained confidence in the reporter and sent him a video showing black-coated paper being treated with a chemical.<\/p>\n The video showed four people, including two women, allegedly cleaning bundles of black-coated paper cut to the size of currency notes.<\/p>\n Once treated with the chemical, the paper appeared similar to genuine Indian \u20b9500 notes, according to the investigation.<\/p>\n The reporter then continued following Ranga’s instructions to understand the alleged supply network and the route from the currency cache in Guwahati to other parts of the country.<\/p>\n Agent warns reporter: \u2018If you play games, you will be killed\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Ranga later asked the reporter to meet him at a club at 8 pm.<\/p>\n The reporter reached the club at the appointed time and called Ranga, who told him to enter and wait.<\/p>\n After paying a \u20b9500 entry fee, the reporter entered the club. The venue was dimly lit, with coloured laser lights providing most of the illumination.<\/p>\n The reporter noticed several people inside and suspected that he was being monitored to determine whether he was alone.<\/p>\n A woman allegedly approached him and warned him not to \u201cplay any games\u201d there. She reportedly said that he would be killed if he tried anything.<\/p>\n Ranga did not arrive even after the reporter waited for around three hours.<\/p>\n At around 11 pm, Ranga called and claimed that a police vehicle had been parked outside the club, preventing his associates from reaching the location. He asked the reporter to wait for further instructions.<\/p>\n Multiple rounds of surveillance; gang allegedly planned to kill reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n After reaching Guwahati, the reporter was repeatedly asked to share his location.<\/p>\n The reporter was first called to Kamakhya railway station and later to the club. Ranga did not turn up at either location, although three or four people were allegedly seen monitoring the reporter nearby.<\/p>\n The reporter was subsequently asked to meet at Balaji Temple near the ISBT. Three or four members of the alleged network were again present in the area.<\/p>\n An agent identified as Rajiv eventually met the reporter with a sample of the counterfeit currency.<\/p>\n At this point, members of the alleged network reportedly became suspicious that the reporter was working for an agency. They allegedly began discussing taking him to the currency cache on the pretext of showing him the operation and killing him.<\/p>\n The reporter then prepared a bundle containing \u20b91.5 lakh as payment for the first consignment and sent it to Rajiv. The agents subsequently agreed to proceed with the deal.<\/p>\n Rajiv first sent the reporter the location of his office. After the reporter arrived, Rajiv allegedly asked him to accompany him on his scooter, claiming they were going to the office.<\/p>\n Instead, he began taking the reporter towards a hilly area. Another member of the alleged gang followed them on a separate vehicle.<\/p>\n Sensing danger, the reporter stopped Rajiv and insisted that the money transaction take place there. He then left the location before the alleged group could make another move.<\/p>\n The agent showed the reporter two types of counterfeit notes: one black-coated note and another fake note made to look like a genuine note.<\/span><\/p>\n Agent hands over samples of black-coated and cleaned notes<\/strong><\/p>\n After waiting for two days, the reporter contacted Ratul and explained what had happened.<\/p>\n Ratul allegedly told him that he knew about the incident and that every move was being monitored. He reportedly said that the network had to be extremely cautious because one mistake by either the reporter or its members could expose the entire operation.<\/p>\n Around three hours after the call ended, Rajiv contacted the reporter and asked him to meet at Balaji Temple near the ISBT.<\/p>\n Rajiv arrived with an envelope.<\/p>\n Rajiv<\/strong>: The boss has sent this for you to see.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: How many notes are in it?<\/p>\n Rajiv<\/strong>: I don’t know. The boss gave it to me and I gave it to you.<\/p>\n When the reporter opened the envelope away from the crowd, it contained one black-coated note and two cleaned counterfeit \u20b9500 notes.<\/p>\n The black-coated sample appeared to be a piece of black paper cut to the size of a currency note, with no visible printing. The cleaned sample, however, appeared similar to a genuine \u20b9500 note.<\/p>\n Rajiv then took the reporter to a secluded road near a hilly area and demonstrated how the black-coated sample was allegedly cleaned using the chemical.<\/p>\n He claimed that black-coated notes were sent to different states, where they were cleaned before being introduced into circulation.<\/p>\n Rajiv<\/strong>: You have seen it. It looks exactly like the original. I can clean it for you and you can try using it.<\/p>\n The reporter declined, saying he would only spend money after securing a larger deal.<\/p>\n Rajiv allegedly told him that the money came from Pakistan and was now being brought into India through Bangladesh following increased restrictions in Nepal.<\/p>\n He also claimed that the black coating prevented scanners from detecting the notes.<\/p>\n \u2018Give one genuine \u20b9500 note and get three counterfeit notes\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n The reporter asked Rajiv how the alleged counterfeit currency network operated across the country.<\/p>\n Rajiv claimed that the operation generated a threefold return: for every genuine \u20b9500 note provided, the buyer would receive three counterfeit \u20b9500 notes.<\/p>\n He also claimed that the network had people in different states who were responsible for distributing the currency.<\/p>\n During the sample demonstration, the reporter obtained several clues about the alleged currency cache.<\/p>\n Rajiv called his boss Ratul from his mobile phone during a conversation that lasted around 20 minutes.<\/p>\n Because the reporter had indicated that he was interested in a large deal, Rajiv appeared eager to finalise it. During the call, Ratul allegedly demanded \u20b930 lakh for counterfeit currency worth \u20b91 crore.<\/p>\n The two sides discussed delivering the counterfeit notes at a hotel after finalising the deal. The reporter, however, insisted on taking delivery directly from the alleged currency cache.<\/p>\n Agent takes reporter to alleged currency cache with counterfeit notes<\/strong><\/p>\n The reporter then tried to persuade Rajiv to show him the money stored at the alleged cache.<\/p>\n Believing that the reporter was serious about the large deal, Rajiv agreed.<\/p>\n After reaching an area beneath the Lokhra flyover, Rajiv allegedly told the reporter that the money was kept on a scooter. He asked him to accompany him towards the office because there were too many people around.<\/p>\n Another scooter followed them, which increased the reporter’s suspicion.<\/p>\n Rajiv eventually stopped at an isolated location and began discussing the transaction. He then called another agent, identified as Asif Majumdar, and asked him to come to the spot.<\/p>\n Asif arrived on a scooter with a black polythene bag containing a bundle allegedly worth \u20b95 lakh in counterfeit notes. He handed the bundle to Rajiv and said that opening it there would be dangerous.<\/p>\n Rajiv told the reporter that the package had been securely sealed and could not be opened by hand. He asked him to return towards the flyover, where they could cut it open and show him the notes.<\/p>\n However, when they reached the flyover, Rajiv noticed police personnel standing across the road.<\/p>\n Rajiv allegedly suspected that the reporter had alerted the police. He immediately fled with the counterfeit currency bundle.<\/p>\n The reporter repeatedly called him, but Rajiv did not answer.<\/p>\n Soon afterwards, Ratul allegedly called the reporter and threatened to kill him. He accused him of being a police agent and allegedly said that he would not leave Guwahati alive and that his family would not even receive his body.<\/p>\n The reporter then switched off his phone and moved to a safe location in Narangi, around 30 km from Guwahati.<\/p>\n Alleged route map: Counterfeit notes packed in cartons<\/strong><\/p>\n During his conversations with the reporter, Ratul allegedly explained the network’s route and method of operation.<\/p>\n According to his account, paper from China and Pakistan and chemicals from Myanmar are brought through different routes before the counterfeit notes reach Guwahati.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Where are these counterfeit notes printed?<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: The best-quality counterfeit notes are printed in China and Pakistan.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: People say Pakistani notes are of better quality.<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: Chinese material is better than Pakistani material. China’s technology is better.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: How do the notes reach the Guwahati chest?<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: The notes first come from China to Pakistan, then from Pakistan to Bangladesh and across the Bangladesh border into Guwahati.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: What happens to the notes at the Guwahati chest?<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: The money is stored at the Guwahati chest. It is cleaned with chemicals here and then sent according to demand.<\/p>\n Ratul allegedly said the notes arrive in large cartons. According to him, the currency is divided into smaller cartons according to demand and then sent outside Assam.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: Are the notes sent by road, train or bus?<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: Outside Assam, the money is sent by train. Depending on the demand, the notes are packed in small cartons labelled as biscuits, snacks or detergent. If there are 20 cartons, they are all made to look identical.<\/p>\n Reporter<\/strong>: How do you avoid the police?<\/p>\n Ratul<\/strong>: The material is packed in identical cartons. We make fake invoices so that if there is a police check on the way, the fake invoice can be shown.<\/p>\n Ratul also claimed that managers were assigned to large consignments going to different locations.<\/p>\n According to him, a manager would oversee the movement of the money from the alleged cache to the relevant state and hand it over directly to the person involved in the deal.<\/p>\n He claimed that these managers avoided unnecessary contact with others and were responsible only for transporting and handing over the counterfeit notes.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bhaskar Investigation Team. Patna50 minutes ago A counterfeit currency \u2018chest\u2019 has allegedly shifted from Nepal to Guwahati after increased restrictions by the Nepal government made it difficult to move fake notes across the border. According to agents who spoke to a Bhaskar reporter during an undercover investigation, Guwahati has now become the main distribution point…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[47932,32353,47935,47611,47931,31315,47933,47934],"class_list":["post-40921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nation","tag-bhaskar-reporter","tag-counterfeit-notes","tag-currency-racket","tag-fake-currency","tag-guwahati","tag-nepal-border","tag-raju-ranga","tag-undercover-investigation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/09\/22\/comp-7_1790041828.gif\")
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