Nashik, Maharashtra: Police in Nashik arrested six youths including a doctor on December 24, 2025, after catching them with counterfeit Indian currency during a targeted operation. The arrests took place amid heightened security in the district due to an ongoing religious pilgrimage, allowing officers to act swiftly on specific intelligence inputs.
The accused were intercepted while attempting to circulate fake ₹500 notes, raising serious concerns about the scale and reach of counterfeit currency networks operating in the region.
Based on confidential information received earlier in the day, teams from Satana Police tracked a Renault Duster suspected of transporting fake currency. Officers stopped the vehicle on the Satana to Taharabad road when the group attempted to use counterfeit notes at a petrol pump.
A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of forged currency worth approximately ₹15,000. Police immediately detained all six occupants and registered a case under relevant sections related to counterfeit currency circulation.
Among those arrested was a highly educated doctor, a detail that quickly drew public attention. While police have not disclosed the full identities of all accused, investigators confirmed that the doctor was an active participant in the operation and not merely present at the scene.
Authorities said the educational background of the accused does not change the seriousness of the offence and that all individuals will be treated equally under the law.
In addition to the fake notes, police recovered four expensive mobile phones, the four wheeler used in the operation, and other items. The total value of the seized property is estimated at ₹4.35 lakh.
Police Inspector Yogesh Patil confirmed that the court granted police custody of all six accused till December 24, 2025, allowing investigators time to question them and trace the source of the counterfeit notes.
Investigators suspect that the racket may extend beyond Nashik, with early leads pointing towards Sambhajinagar and Nagpur. Police believe the accused were part of a larger distribution chain and are working to identify the printing source and other handlers involved.
The arrests coincided with the Devamaledar Yashwant Maharaj pilgrimage, during which police had intensified surveillance across Nashik district. Officials said this increased presence played a key role in preventing the circulation of fake currency during the busy period.
(Rh/ARC)