A large-scale fake currency racket has been exposed in East Champaran, Bihar. Police arrested a man identified as Rohit Kumar Shahi (35), a resident of Barhalganj, Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, with ₹19.98 lakh in counterfeit currency during a vehicle inspection at Manikpur Chowk in the Harsiddhi police station area. Forty bundles of ₹500 notes were seized from his bag. However, his accomplices, who were in a Fortuner and a Tata Nexon, managed to flee the scene.

According to Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Areraj, police received intelligence that individuals traveling in UP-registered Fortuner and Tata Nexon vehicles from Motihari towards Areraj were suspected to be involved in fake currency operations. Acting on directives from the Superintendent of Police, a checkpoint was set up at Manikpur Chowk in Harsiddhi. While the Fortuner sped past, the Tata Nexon following it was intercepted. A person carrying a bag attempted to flee but was apprehended by the police. The occupants of the Nexon escaped with the vehicle.

During interrogation, Rohit Shahi failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the recovered money. Chats related to fake notes with a person named Sonu Singh were found on his mobile phone. Additionally, five images of notes with the same serial number, prima facie identified as counterfeit, were recovered from his recycle bin. Police are investigating the backward and forward linkages of the gang. Authorities stated that the gang members, primarily from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, would entice people in Bihar by offering four times the amount in fake currency for genuine notes, specifically ₹4 lakh in counterfeit notes for ₹1 lakh in real currency.

Police are actively investigating the distribution points for fake notes and identifying other individuals involved in the network. Raids are ongoing to apprehend the absconding suspects. The raiding team included Police Inspector Munir Alam, Harsiddhi Station House Officer Sunil Kumar, Additional Station House Officer Avinash Kumar, police officers Ritunaj Jaiswal, Pritam Kumar, and Brahmadev Paswan, along with armed forces personnel. Further raids in Motihari and Bettiah led to the recovery of 10 live cartridges of .350 bore from the house of Ashok Mishra, a resident of Belwa in the Banuchhapar police station area of Bettiah. Ashok Mishra, who was absconding during the raid, reportedly has about half a dozen cases related to fake currency dealings registered against him.