Doctor From West Bengal Held With ₹1.4 Lakh Counterfeit Currency Cache In Bhopal Near Safia College Grounds

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Police arrested a 25-year-old MBBS doctor from West Bengal with fake currency worth Rs1.4 lakh near Safia College grounds on late Wednesday night.

Koh-e-Fiza police said on Thursday that they recovered 280 counterfeit Rs 500 notes, along with two expensive smartphones and other suspicious materials from the suspect.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Saiful Islam, son of Anwar-ul-Islam, is originally from Birbhum district of West Bengal and was residing in Arera Colony, Shahpura, Bhopal. Acting on a tip-off, police detained Islam after he was allegedly seen offering Rs500 notes at discounted rates near Safia Mosque.

During interrogation, police discovered that Islam used a UK-based (+44) international number on his iPhone for WhatsApp calls to conceal his identity and evade tracking. Investigators suspect he may be linked to a larger interstate counterfeit currency syndicate, while officials are also probing whether he is associated with any particular ideology.

Police station in-charge Krishna Gopal Shukla said Saiful had been frequently visiting Bhopal since mid-2024 and settled permanently in the city after his marriage in September 2024.

Shukla further said that despite having no known legitimate source of income, Islam allegedly brought counterfeit notes from West Bengal and circulated them in local markets to fund a lavish lifestyle.

Police have secured a seven-day remand of the suspect and are examining suspicious financial transactions found on his mobile phones. Shukla added that further investigation could expose a wider network involved in the nationwide supply of fake currency.