Meerut FIR after fake notes worth Rs 4.63 lakh found in Axis Bank chest

Police have registered an FIR after counterfeit notes worth Rs 4.63 lakh were found in cash sent to an Axis Bank currency chest in Meerut. The case has raised fresh concerns over how fake currency is entering and moving through the banking system.The notes were in denominations of Rs 500, Rs 200, Rs 100 and Rs 50. (Photo: Representational)Police have registered an FIR after 1,323 counterfeit currency notes with a face value of Rs 4.63 lakh were found during scrutiny of cash sent from various bank branches to an Axis Bank currency chest in Meerut, officials said on Thursday.The fake notes were detected during verification of cash received from different branches between December 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025, according to a complaint filed by currency chest manager Sartaj Singh. The notes were in denominations of Rs 500, Rs 200, Rs 100 and Rs 50, with a total face value of Rs 4,63,650.Singh, a resident of Hisar in Haryana, submitted a complaint to Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy on September 16. Following this, an FIR was registered on September 22 at Civil Lines police station against unidentified persons under Sections 178, 179, 180, 181 and 182 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which relate to counterfeiting currency, using or possessing counterfeit notes, making or possessing tools for counterfeiting, and making or using documents resembling currency notes.The investigation has been handed over to Sub-Inspector Dilip Sengar. SP City Vinayak Gopal Bhosle said police have started looking into how the counterfeit notes entered the banking system and through which banks they were routed. According to the complaint, the currency chest is located at the Axis Bank branch in Mangal Pandey Nagar under the Medical police station area and is linked to 186 Axis Bank branches. The case has come days after counterfeit notes with a face value of Rs 17.29 crore were reportedly detected in a Punjab National Bank currency chest in neighbouring Saharanpur.- EndsWith PTI inputs.Published By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 24, 2026 15:18 IST