Shocking ₹80 Lakh Counterfeit Scandal: Vapi Woman Surrenders Flat and ₹30 Lakh in Deadly Fake Currency Trap
Massive Fake Currency Racket Busted in Vapi’s Industrial Hub
BREAKING NEWS: In a sensational crackdown that has sent shockwaves through South Gujarat, the Valsad Police have unearthed a massive counterfeit currency manufacturing network in the industrial heart of Vapi. A high-stakes operation led by the Local Crime Branch (LCB) has exposed how criminals were printing high-quality duplicate ₹500 notes to flood the local market. The investigation has revealed a chilling betrayal of trust where a female labor contractor, blinded by the promise of doubling her wealth, sacrificed her life savings of ₹30 lakh and even handed over her private flat to house the illegal printing press.
The scale of this ₹80 lakh counterfeit scandal has alarmed the administration, as the culprits intended to circulate these forged notes during peak business hours in the bustling markets of Vapi. Thanks to the eagle eyes of the Valsad LCB, the entire operation was dismantled before the fake currency could cripple the local economy. The sheer audacity of setting up a printing unit in a residential complex has left the local community in a state of disbelief.
LCB Strike: How the Undercover Operation Nabbed the Criminals
The breakthrough came during a strategic anti-property crime patrol by the Valsad LCB team. Acting on a razor-sharp tip-off received by ASI Ajay Chaudhary, the police learned of an individual roaming the Dungra Hariya Park area with a stash of suspicious bills. Moving with clinical precision, the police intercepted Sanjay Somnath Pawar (51), a resident of Chanod Colony, Vapi.
Upon searching Pawar, officers were stunned to find a significant quantity of forged ₹500 notes that looked deceptively real. During a high-intensity interrogation, Pawar cracked and revealed the dark underbelly of the operation, leading the police straight to a female labor contractor who acted as the financier and facilitator of this sophisticated crime syndicate. The arrest of Pawar was the first domino to fall in what would become one of the region’s largest currency busts.
The ₹30 Lakh Bait: A Greedy Trap for the Labor Contractor
The investigation uncovered a tale of extreme greed and manipulation. Sanjay Pawar confessed that his brother-in-law and two other associates met with Chhayadevi Mandal, a well-known labor contractor in Vapi. The criminals dangled a lethal bait in front of her: if she provided ₹30 lakh in genuine cash, they would deliver ₹80 lakh in high-quality counterfeit notes in return.
Blinded by the prospect of more than doubling her investment, Chhayadevi didn’t just hand over the cash; she went a step further. She surrendered her personal flat located in the Mangal Complex in the Hariya Park area to be used as a secret factory for printing the forged currency. This flat became the nerve center for the illicit production of thousands of ₹500 notes. Her involvement turned a simple fraud into a large-scale manufacturing operation.
Andhra Pradesh Experts and Ex-Army Link Discovered
The sophistication of this racket suggests deep-rooted criminal planning. To ensure the fake notes passed casual inspection, the gang recruited “technical experts” from Andhra Pradesh. The mastermind behind the logistics was identified as Dilip Tryambak, a resident of Nashik and a former Army man. Dilip allegedly leveraged his background to organize the operation with military-like secrecy.
Under Dilip’s direction, a young woman named Swati and another male associate were brought from Andhra Pradesh to Vapi specifically to handle the high-tech printing machinery. The gang installed high-quality printers and sourced specialized paper to mimic the texture of genuine Indian currency. This “mini-mint” operated right under the noses of residents in a busy residential complex, highlighting a massive security breach.
Sinister Plot: Plan to Pay Poor Laborers in Fake Notes
Perhaps the most heart-wrenching revelation of the probe is the intended destination of the fake money. Chhayadevi Mandal, who supplies labor to various factories across Vapi, planned to distribute these counterfeit ₹500 notes as wages to her laborers. She calculated that by mixing a few fake notes into the monthly salaries of hundreds of unsuspecting workers, she could easily “clean” the money and circulate it into the mainstream economy without raising suspicion.
Had this plan succeeded, thousands of impoverished migrant workers would have been left with worthless paper, potentially facing legal trouble themselves while the masterminds enjoyed the spoils. The police intervention has averted a massive social and economic disaster for the labor community in South Gujarat, protecting the most vulnerable members of the industrial workforce from total financial ruin.
Evidence Seized and Major Arrests Made
During the raid on the Mangal Complex flat, Valsad Police seized a mountain of incriminating evidence. The haul included:
- 1,215 pieces of counterfeit ₹500 notes.
- Total face value of recovered fake currency: ₹24.30 lakh.
- A high-end printer and specialized cutting tools.
- Reams of high-quality paper used for printing.
The police have officially arrested Sanjay Somnath Pawar (51, originally from Nashik) and Chhayadevi Suresh Mandal (40, originally from Jharkhand). Manhunts are currently underway for the mastermind Dilip Tryambak, the expert Swati, and their other accomplices who remain at large. The forensic team is now examining the seized equipment to trace the source of the specialized paper and ink used in the process.
The Real Cost: RBI Insights on the ₹500 Note
As this scandal unfolds, it is vital to understand the complexity of genuine Indian currency. According to RBI (Reserve Bank of India) data, the cost of printing a single legitimate ₹500 note ranges between ₹2.29 and ₹2.65. This cost covers the special security thread, color-shifting ink, and the high-grade cotton-prose paper that is nearly impossible for criminals to replicate perfectly.
The Vapi gang attempted to bypass these security measures using standard commercial technology, highlighting the extreme risk to the national economy posed by such counterfeiters. The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious-looking notes immediately, specifically checking for the watermark and the “RBI” micro-lettering that are often missing in fakes.
Vapi on High Alert Ahead of Key Elections
This bust comes at a critical time for the city. Vapi is currently preparing for the prestigious Vapi Industrial Association (VIA) elections scheduled for March 5. With form distribution starting on January 22, the city is seeing a surge in financial activity. The discovery of a fake currency factory has caused panic among the local business community.
The District Police Chief has ordered intensified checking across all entry and exit points of the city. Industrialists and shopkeepers have been advised to use UV-light note detectors. The police are also investigating whether Chhayadevi had already started distributing any forged notes to laborers in previous weeks to ensure no “poisoned” money remains in the system. The timing of this bust is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the upcoming local economic events.
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