UP ATS nabs 4th accused in inter-state fake currency racket; Rs 1.05 lakh seized from Sitapur man; gang used Alibaba-sourced paper, Photoshop files to mimic notes

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) arrested a fourth accused in connection with a large-scale counterfeit currency racket operating across multiple states on Saturday. The latest arrest was made in Sitapur, where the ATS apprehended Anas Ahmad, son of Ejaz Ahmad, a resident of Gandhinagar under Sidhauli police station.Acting on intelligence inputs, he was picked up from the Ahmedpur Jat Road area and found in possession of fake Indian currency worth ₹1.05 lakh. Seized materials included 22 forged ₹500 notes, 94 fake ₹200 notes, 8 counterfeit ₹100 notes, and A4-sized thread paper sheets valued at ₹74,400.ATS said that during interrogation Anas confessed that he received the fake currency from Gajendra Yadav, a resident of Adarsh Colony, Baghpat, for distribution. Police recovered fake Indian currency worth ₹1.05 lakh from his possession, which included 22 counterfeit ₹500 notes, 94 counterfeit ₹200 notes, and 8 counterfeit ₹100 notes. Additionally, A4-sized thread paper sheets resembling currency, valued at ₹74,400, were also seized.

This arrest follows the earlier busting of the gang's core network on June 27. The ATS had apprehended mastermind Gajendra Yadav—a railway employee—from Pilkhuwa in Hapur district along with his associate Siddharth Jha. Acting on specific inputs, the duo was intercepted near Bhojpur Road while attempting to deliver ₹3.9 lakh in counterfeit currency. A subsequent raid at a rented flat in Dinesh Nagar Colony uncovered their printing hub, yielding sophisticated equipment including security paper, printers, dies, and Photoshop design files used to mimic genuine notes.A third accused, Vijay Veer Chaudhary of Bulandshahr, was arrested for supplying watermark and thread-featured paper sourced from Alibaba.com—crucial for the counterfeit production. Gajendra Yadav, originally from Gajouri village in Bulandshahr and stationed at Lakhan Railway Station, ran the operation from Pilkhuwa with the help of Siddharth Jha from New Delhi. The gang distributed fake currency using social media to connect with buyers across western Uttar Pradesh.With the arrest of Anas Ahmad, all four identified members of the racket are now in custody. A case has been registered under IPC and BNSS provisions at the ATS police station in Lucknow, and further legal proceedings are ongoing. The UP ATS continues to track the broader distribution network, aiming to dismantle all remaining links in the illicit operation.