Kathmandu, October 21

Police have arrested three persons in connection with fake Nepali currency bank notes, along with printing machine, from a rented flat at Naya Basti in Gokarneshwor Municipality-3, Kathmandu, today.

A special team of Bouddha Metropolitan Police arrested the trio by raiding the second-floor flat of the house belonging to Roshan Dawadi at around 6:00am today. Police said the illegal act of printing fake currency was going on since Dashain. Acting on a tip-off, the raid was carried out.

Police added that house owner Dawadi was a former inspector of Nepal Police and was cooperating with the investigation.

The arrested have been identified as Rajan Pariyar, 28, Santosh Nepali, 35, and Mahendra Nepali, 21. All the arrested hail from Melung Rural Municipality, Dolakha.

Police confiscated 34 fake bank notes of Rs 1,000 denomination that were ready for circulation in the market.

Similarly, 290 pieces of paper to be used for printing Rs 1,000 fake bank notes, colour photocopy machine and fake ribbons used in currencies, among 43 other items, were seized from the operation centre.

Police said counterfeiters had already exchanged up to Rs 60,000 in the market.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramesh Bahadur Singh of Bouddha Police Circle said the fraudsters themselves visited busy market places during Dashain and purchased various items using fake currency.

Singh added, “Most of them bought recharge cards worth Rs 100 from various street vendors and local shops by giving fake Rs 1,000 notes and receiving Rs 900.”

According to Singh, the fake bank notes lacked many of the security features, including water marks. He said, “They had also used fake ribbons on the notes, to give the impression of genuine note.”

He further said police were further investigating how the perpetrators acquired the skill to duplicate currency.

Police have alerted the general people about being swindled by such people, and urged them to contact the police as soon as they encountered any duplicate currency.