Surat spiritual guru among seven held in Rs 2.38 crore fake currency racket in Ahmedabad
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Ahmedabad (PTI): City police has seized high-quality counterfeit Indian currency with a face value of Rs 2.38 crore and apprehended seven persons, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch apprehended the accused, including a Surat-based spiritual and yoga teacher, when they arrived here on Wednesday, and seized 42,000 fake notes Rs 500 denomination.
Mukesh Thummar, Ashok Mavani, Ramesh Bhalar, Divyesh Rana, Pradip Jotangiya, Bharat Kakadiya and a woman allegedly brought the high-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) in an SUV which was intercepted near Amraiwadi area, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Rajian.
Pradip Jotangiya is a 'spiritual and yoga teacher' at Shree Satyam Yog Foundation in Surat. The SUV had a "VVVIP" sticker and a plate reading "Shri Satyam Yog Foundation Recognized by Ayush Mantralay, Govt. of India".
Currency bundles were recovered from a black bag and concealed packaging inside the vehicle, the official said, adding that the process to arrest the accused was underway.
A crime branch team was immediately sent to Surat, and in coordination with the Surat crime branch, another Rs 28 lakh in fake currency was seized from a house where notes were being printed. Some equipment was also seized, DCP Rajian added.
Mukesh Thummar was allegedly the kingpin of the racket and arranged equipment and raw material including printers and paper cutting machines, as per an official release. Counterfeit currency was being printed at the place for the last four months, it added.
The accused had procured security thread paper resembling RBI markings from Chinese sources through e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba, it said.
Probe also revealed that photo-editing software and AI-based platforms such as ChatGPT were used to refine the design, layout, and visual features of counterfeit notes. One of the accused had expertise in graphic editing and printing processes.
The accused initially tested the counterfeit notes by using them in a few transactions. After gaining confidence that the fake currency was not being detected, they engaged agents to produce additional notes, Rajian said.
The accused will be produced before a court later on Thursday and police will seek their custody, he said.
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VP, PM greet civil servants on Civil Services Day
New Delhi (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday greeted civil servants on the occasion of Civil Services Day and said it is time to further strengthen the resolve to work towards good governance and nation building.
The Vice President said as the enduring pillar of India's administrative framework, the efforts of the civil servants in strengthening governance and delivering public services are of immense significance.
The prime minister said from the grassroots to policy-making, the efforts of civil servants touch countless lives and contribute to India's progress
"On the occasion of Civil Services Day, I extend my warm greetings to all civil servants and convey my sincere appreciation for your dedication and exemplary service to the nation," Radhakrishnan said in a post on X.
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He said the theme for this year, "Viksit Bharat: Citizen-Centric Governance and Development at the Last Mile", aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and underscores the Government's commitment to transparent, accountable, and citizen-centric governance, with a strong emphasis on last-mile delivery and inclusive development.
"Let us all celebrate the day and continue to work collectively towards building an inclusive and developed India," he said.
The Vice President will deliver the keynote address at the Civil Services Day celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan here on Tuesday.
In his message, Modi greeted all civil servants on Civil Services Day and said this is an occasion to further strengthen the resolve to work towards good governance and nation building.
"May our civil servants continue to serve with excellence, compassion and innovation, upholding the highest standards of duty," he said.
The prime minister said service to the nation is the foundation of a 'Developed India'.
"On the glorious occasion of Civil Services Day, let us reaffirm our resolve to build a strong, prosperous, and sensitive India by bringing the person standing at the last line into the mainstream of development," he said.
The central government celebrates April 21 every year as 'Civil Services day' as an occasion for civil servants to rededicate themselves to the cause of citizen and renew their commitments to public service and excellence in work.
This date is chosen to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 in Delhi, and referred to civil servants as the 'steel frame of India'.
