Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 8: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Amit Kumar, a bank employee and key accused who was absconding in connection with a major counterfeit currency conspiracy at the Punjab National Bank (PNB) currency chest in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur.
Kumar, who is a named accused in the First Information Report (FIR), was taken into custody in the case, the NIA said.
His arrest marks a significant development in the probe into the large-scale recovery of fake Indian currency notes from the PNB currency chest.
The case originated on August 29, 2026, when police at Sadar Bazar police station in Saharanpur received credible information about the presence of counterfeit notes inside the PNB currency chest.
Subsequent checks led to the recovery of fake currency with a total face value of Rs 17.29 crore.
A preliminary inquiry revealed the alleged involvement of three bank employees, all of whom were suspended by the bank authorities, the NIA said.
An FIR was registered the same day at Sadar Bazar police station under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against the three accused persons.
"Given the seriousness of the offence and the quantum of counterfeit currency involved, the NIA re-registered the case on September 3, 2026, and took over the investigation," the agency said in a statement.
NIA officials said Kumar had been absconding since the registration of the case.
His arrest is expected to help investigators establish the larger conspiracy behind the storage and circulation of high-value counterfeit notes within a bank currency chest, a sensitive facility meant for the secure handling of genuine currency.
The NIA said the investigation remains active.
Efforts are underway to identify and arrest other accused persons and unravel the wider network allegedly involved in the counterfeit currency operation.
Further details regarding the modus operandi and the roles of the accused are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.