Fake currency and spurious liquor units busted, Kanchi cops probing poll link

Based on a tip-off that spurious liquor was being blended and bottled in Thimmasamuthiram in Kancheepuram, Enforcement Wing special DGP ordered a search and a special team headed to Thimmasamuthiram on Saturday morning. When they reached the spot, officials found that a printing press was functioning inside a small hut. As many as 3,400 stickers that were about to be pasted on the liquor bottle were kept to dry after printing.

Police seized the stickers and 105 litres of duplicate liquor from one of the huts. When checked further, they found currency notes in the denomination Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 in another hut. Police sources said the fake currency with a face value of Rs 11.6 lakh.

Following this, Thulasi (41) and Kalaiarasan (40) of Arakkonam, who were operating the screen printing machine, were arrested by the police. During inquiry, it was found that both of them were wage workers and were working in the printing unit for the past few days. Police suspect the hand of political parties behind the operation, and said that the fake currency and liquor might have been planned for distribution among voters during the election campaign. The police have seized the equipment that was used for printing, along with two bikes. Further investigation is on.