UP News: Fake Currency Racket Busted in Kushinagar | ABP News

In Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar, police have uncovered a major international counterfeit currency racket. Ten criminals, including Rafi Khan alias 'Bablu', the national secretary of the SP Lohia Vahini, have been arrested in connection with the operation. The police also seized counterfeit notes and a stockpile of illegal weapons, sparking widespread concern. Rafi Khan, the mastermind behind the counterfeit currency operation, is linked to the Samajwadi Party (SP). He served as the national secretary of the SP's Lohia Vahini, and his counterfeit currency business extended across Nepal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and nearby border areas. Another key member of the gang, Naushad Khan, also held a national position in the SP. The police recovered over five lakh rupees in fake currency, three thousand Nepali rupees, illegal firearms, cartridges, and explosives from the arrested individuals. Both Rafi Khan and Naushad Khan, linked to the Samajwadi Party, have emerged as international racket leaders, creating political controversy. SP district president Shukrullah Ansari claimed that the two leaders were framed by the police and called this a conspiracy to defame the party, demanding a high-level investigation. In a related case, four individuals arrested from the Jamia Habibia Madrasa in Prayagraj for printing counterfeit notes have been remanded into police custody. These suspects, currently held in Naini Jail, will be interrogated on various points during a 7-hour custody period. Further investigations at the madrasa and other locations may yield more evidence. Police expect new revelations from the interrogation, following the madrasa raid that exposed the counterfeit operation on August 28. The madrasa’s acting principal, Tafseerul Arfeen, along with three others, was arrested, and on September 4, the madrasa was sealed by the development authority.