Fake Rs 20 coins worth Rs 70 crore circulated in market, gang busted in UP

Saharanpur senior superintendent of police Abhinandan announced the seizure of five alleged members of a counterfeit coin network that produced and distributed fake Rs 20 coins in the region. The accused, including alleged kingpin Upkar Luthra alias Abhay Pratap Singh, were intercepted in the Titawa area while moving machinery intended for a new production unit.

Police recovered 6,400 counterfeit coins with a face value of Rs 1.28 lakh, semi‑finished coins estimated at Rs 5 lakh, six coin‑making machines and a range of dies and tools. The gang claimed the capacity to mint 10,000‑12,000 fake coins daily, selling each for Rs 12‑15 after a manufacturing cost of Rs 5‑6. Authorities also seized eight mobile phones, seven account registers and other documents linking the operation to liquor shops, toll plazas and grocery stores.

Investigators said the network, active since 2001, operated across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar and previously ran a unit in Haryana before shifting to Saharanpur. The counterfeit coins had infiltrated local markets, especially liquor outlets, prompting concerns over monetary integrity. The National Investigation Agency is probing a related Rs 17.29 crore counterfeit currency recovery from a bank chest in the district, and has so far arrested one individual in that case.