In a bizarre incident in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a bullion firm owner was duped of Rs 1.6 crore by conmen who handed over fake currency notes featuring the face of Bollywood actor Anupam Kher instead of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Scam
The scam unfolded when the accused approached Mehul Thakkar, the owner of a bullion firm in Manek Chowk, Ahmedabad, with a proposal to buy 2,100 grams of gold. Thakkar was told to deliver the gold to a courier firm on CG Road in Navrangpura area on September 24. Upon delivery, Thakkar's employees were given a plastic cover supposedly containing Rs 1.3 crore in cash. However, the accused provided a counting machine to count the cash and then fled with the gold, claiming they needed to collect the remaining Rs 30 lakh from an adjoining shop.
When Thakkar's employees opened the plastic cover, they discovered that the currency notes were fake and featured Anupam Kher's face instead of Mahatma Gandhi's. The notes also had the name 'Resole Bank of India' instead of 'Reserve Bank of India'.
Investigation and Reaction
A case of cheating has been registered at the Navrangpura police station based on Thakkar's complaint. The police are investigating the matter and are using CCTV footage to track the suspects, who remain at large. The courier firm where the gold was delivered was also found to be fake, with no registered rent agreement.
Anupam Kher expressed his surprise and amusement upon learning about the fake currency notes featuring his face. He shared a video on social media, captioning it, 'My photo instead of Gandhijis photo on Rs 500 notes???? Anything can happen (sic)'.
Police Efforts
The Ahmedabad police are actively investigating the case, describing it as a 'unique case of counterfeit currency with a Bollywood twist'. They are working to identify and apprehend the culprits involved in the scam.
