Salimkhan Ahmadkhan Pathan was caught by the police after he attempted to purchase a sandwich from a shop at platform no 1 of the Kalupur railway station here on May 7, 1998 using a counterfeit note. After purchasing the sandwich Pathan gave a Rs 100 note to the shopkeeper who recognised the note as a counterfeit.

Pathan immediately snatched away the note from the shopkeeper and quietly walked off. The shopkeeper informed the matter to the Government Railway Police who launched a hunt for Pathan and caught him the same evening with several fake Rs 100 notes.

Pathan, who hails from Bhopal, was arrested and charge-sheeted in the city sessions court on December 31, 1998. Government pleader Nishit P Mehta submitted in the court that fake currency notes were being pumped into the country in a bid to destabilise the Indian economy. Therefore, such people should be dealt with very strictly and maximum punishment should be given to them, he pleaded.

The Court, observing that such crimes should not be taken lightly, announced maximum punishment under section 489 (b) of IPC.