Guwahati police have arrested at least seven people in a span of two days in late June and early July as they chase down a suspected counterfeit currency network that one detained accused claims has pushed fake notes with a face value of over ₹100 crore into circulation in the city. The arrests, made largely by Dispur Police Station, span multiple localities — Six Mile-Panjabari, Rajgarh, Ambari and Katahbari — and have exposed what investigators now believe is an inter-state racket routing fake Indian currency notes (FICN) into Assam's capital from as far away as Uttar Pradesh and Assam's own Lakhimpur district.
Background
Guwahati has increasingly drawn police attention as a transit hub for counterfeit currency circulating in Northeast India, a concern that has built over a series of separate operations in recent months rather than a single dramatic bust. As the largest commercial and transport hub in the region, the city sits at the intersection of road routes connecting Assam to Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the rest of the Northeast — the same connectivity that makes it a magnet for legitimate trade also appears to make it attractive to counterfeit currency couriers moving notes by road in relatively small, hard-to-detect batches.
The current wave of arrests began building public attention after Dispur Police intercepted a vehicle in the Six Mile-Panjabari area, and accelerated further when one of the accused in a follow-up arrest made what police have described as "explosive claims" about the scale of the network operating out of the city — claims that, if substantiated through further investigation, would represent one of the larger counterfeit currency rackets uncovered in the region in recent years.
Key Details
The operations unfolded in quick succession over several days:
- June 30: Dispur Police busted a racket in the Six Mile-Panjabari area, recovering fake currency with a face value of ₹10.90 lakh from a vehicle bearing registration UP35 BV 8240. Three men — Anuj Gupta, Mahesh Shukla and Roshan Gupta, all traced to Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh — were arrested after being found moving suspiciously in the locality.
- July 1: In a second, related operation, police arrested a further duo who had allegedly procured counterfeit notes with a face value of ₹7.37 lakh from an unidentified source in Guwahati's Rajgarh area, reportedly paying around ₹2 lakh in genuine currency to acquire them — a roughly 3.7-times markup that investigators say is typical of how these notes move down a distribution chain.
- Across the two days, Dispur Police confirmed a combined total of five persons held and ₹13.5 lakh in fake currency seized, with The Assam Tribune separately reporting seven total arrests over the two-day window as the wider probe expanded.
- In a separate but related case, two men from Dhemaji district — identified as Ajay Biswakarma and Debojit Deori — were arrested with eight bundles of suspected fake ₹500 notes, face value ₹2.56 lakh, recovered from their vehicle.
- Biswakarma, in police custody, claimed the counterfeit notes were being routed into Guwahati from Bangalmora in Lakhimpur district, and alleged the network was led by an individual identified as Sahil Ali, alias Ismail, and his wife, allegedly operating out of Guwahati's Katahbari area.
- In a further arrest in the Ambari area, 21-year-old Harsh Agarwal of Bharalumukh was apprehended with 210 suspected counterfeit ₹500 notes, amounting to ₹1.05 lakh, after a police raid conducted on a tip-off.
- One accused in the fake currency probe was reportedly injured in police firing during an escape attempt while in custody, according to local reporting, underscoring the sensitivity investigators are treating the case with.
At a Glance: Timeline of the Guwahati Fake Currency Crackdown
| Date / Case | Location | Arrests | Fake Currency Seized |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 30 | Six Mile-Panjabari | 3 (Anuj Gupta, Mahesh Shukla, Roshan Gupta — Kanpur, UP) | ₹10.90 lakh |
| July 1 | Rajgarh | 2 (unnamed in reports) | ₹7.37 lakh face value |
| Dhemaji-linked case | Guwahati (vehicle check) | 2 (Ajay Biswakarma, Debojit Deori — Dhemaji) | ₹2.56 lakh |
| Ambari raid | Ambari / Bharalumukh | 1 (Harsh Agarwal, 21) | ₹1.05 lakh |
| Alleged network claim | Katahbari (alleged base) | Network allegedly led by Sahil Ali / Ismail | Claimed ₹100 crore in circulation |
Local Impact
For small traders, shopkeepers and cash-handling businesses in Guwahati, an active counterfeit currency network raises the everyday risk of unknowingly accepting fake notes, particularly the ₹500 denomination that recurs across nearly every seizure in this case — the most commonly counterfeited note in circulation nationally because of its high value-to-volume ratio. Localities named in the investigation, including Six Mile-Panjabari, Rajgarh, Ambari and Katahbari, span both commercial and residential parts of the city, suggesting the distribution network is not confined to a single neighbourhood or market.
The inter-state dimension of the case — arrests tracing to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh alongside Assam's own Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts — points to Guwahati functioning as a transit and distribution node rather than a source of counterfeit printing, meaning any durable crackdown will likely need coordination between Assam Police and law enforcement agencies outside the state, including central agencies that typically handle FICN cases with suspected cross-border or organised-crime links.
What Happens Next
Assam Police have indicated they are treating the case as an active, expanding investigation rather than a closed set of arrests, with the state government signalling it is prepared to pursue the racket firmly. Investigators are expected to focus next on verifying Ajay Biswakarma's claims about the Lakhimpur supply route and the alleged Katahbari-based network led by Sahil Ali/Ismail, since confirming or disproving the ₹100-crore circulation claim would materially change the scale of the response required. Further arrests along the supply chain — from the alleged Lakhimpur source point through to street-level distributors in Guwahati — are likely in the coming weeks as police work to map the full network.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fake currency has been seized in Guwahati recently?
Across a series of operations in late June and early July, Guwahati police seized fake currency with a combined face value of roughly ₹22 lakh across multiple arrests, while one accused separately claimed a much larger network with ₹100 crore in circulation citywide.
How many people have been arrested in the fake currency crackdown?
At least seven people were arrested over a two-day span in late June/early July alone, with additional arrests in related cases in Ambari and involving accused from Dhemaji district, bringing the total well beyond that figure.
Where are the accused from?
Arrests trace to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Dhemaji district in Assam, and Guwahati residents themselves, pointing to an inter-state distribution network rather than a single local source.
What is the alleged source of the fake notes?
One accused, Ajay Biswakarma, claimed the counterfeit notes were routed into Guwahati from Bangalmora in Lakhimpur district, allegedly through a network led by an individual identified as Sahil Ali, alias Ismail.
What denomination of fake notes is most common in these seizures?
The ₹500 note recurs across nearly every seizure in this case, consistent with national patterns where higher-value notes are more frequently counterfeited.
Is this linked to organised crime or cross-border networks?
Investigators are examining possible inter-state and organised links given the geographic spread of those arrested, though formal confirmation of cross-border sourcing has not been reported.
Was anyone hurt during the investigation?
According to local reporting, one accused in the fake currency probe was injured during police firing while allegedly attempting to escape custody.
What is the Assam government's response?
State officials have publicly stated they are prepared to act firmly against the fake note racket as investigations continue to expand.
Sources
The Assam Tribune, The Sentinel (Assam), Pratidin Time, News Live
