(MENAFN- IANS) Ujjain/Indore, Dec 5 (IANS) The Crime Branch of Madhya Pradesh Police has seized Rs 17.5 lakh counterfeit notes following a raid conducted in Chimanganj area of Ujjain district on Friday, officials said.

The police have arrested two persons involved in printing fake currency, while the third accused identified as Rajesh Barbate, who is said to be the kingpin of the gang busted, remained absconding.

Confirming the report, Ujjain Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradeep Sharma told IANS that the accused persons have been identified as Chinu Gauser and Dipesh Chouhan.

He said that an extensive search operation has been launched to nab the absconding third accused.

The police officer also told that based on inputs, a team of Crime Branch of Ujjain police raided Rajesh Barbate's residence in Ganga Vihar colony in Indore.

During the police search, the police uncovered printing machines, high-security threads, and other equipment.

SP Sharma said that the investigation said that the trio have been actively involved in printing and circulating counterfeit notes for the last few years.

Previously, in 2023, the trio were arrested in connection with counterfeit notes in Neelganga and Annpurna police stations in Indore.

"The Crime Branch team along with Chimanganj police have arrested two persons from Ujjain and have recovered counterfeit notes worth Rs 17.5 lakh from them. They are being interrogated and the investigation is underway," SP Sharma added.

It came more than two weeks after 21-year-old Vivek Yadav was arrested for running a sophisticated counterfeit currency operation from his rented home in the Karond area in Bhopal on November 14.

During the search at his rented flat, the police have recovered Rs 2.25 lakh counterfeit notes, along with high-end printing machinery, specialised paper, inks, and other materials used to produce fake currency.

During the police questioning, Vivek Yadav had admitted to circulating worth Rs 5–6 lakh of fake notes over the past year, primarily targeting small shops.

The investigations continue into whether he was acting alone or part of a larger network.

Vivek Yadav, who has only completed up to Class 10, taught himself the art of producing high-quality fake currency by watching online videos, reading specialised books, and leveraging experience from a previous job in a printing press, police had said.

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