According to sources, the Amreli Local Crime Branch (LCB) had unearthed a fake currency racket by arresting Mansukh Dhanji, Lalji Koli, Ghanshyam Patel and Ranchod Patel with counterfeit notes of 100 rupees denomination with face value of Rs 1.76 lakh.

During interrogation, the police learnt that the racket was operated by Hirpara, a resident of Sitaram chokdi at Punagam in Surat.

With the help of their Surat counterparts, the Amreli police raided the house of Hirpara and recovered 41 counterfeit notes of 100 rupees denomination and 23 counterfeit notes of 50 rupees denomination.

Hirpara was arrested and a computer with printer and other peripherals were seized from the house.

The police said Hirpara and Ghanshyam were earlier working in a diamond unit at Punagam in Surat and had become victims of the meltdown. The units where the two had been working had shut down. A year ago, Hirpara had purchased a computer.

Sub-Inspector B R Sonara of Amreli police said: “The seized notes from Amreli were printed in Surat by Naresh and Ghanshyam. The two were giving 40 per cent commission to their friends for circulating the same in the local market. Hirpara and Ghanshyam had primarily confessed that they were in this business for the last one month.”