The Baragada Town Police on Tuesday seized fake currency notes with a face value of approximately Rs 45,000 and detained a minor from Jharsuguda district in connection with an online purchase scam.
The seized counterfeit notes were in denominations of Rs 500, Rs 200, and Rs 100. Police have initiated an investigation to trace the origin of the fake notes and determine if an organised syndicate is involved.
The fraud came to light following a formal complaint by Swagat Sahoo, a resident of Baragada. Sahoo had listed his scooter for sale on the online marketplace OLX on September 11. On September 19, he received a WhatsApp call from the prospective buyer, who agreed to purchase the vehicle for Rs 45,000.
The buyer met Sahoo in person on September 20 to complete the transaction and handed over the agreed amount in cash.
“I had given an advertisement on OLX on September 11 to sell my scooter,” Sahoo said. “On September 19, a man called me on WhatsApp and struck a deal with me to buy the scooter for Rs 45,000. He came to my location on September 20 and gave me the amount in cash. However, I had doubts about the authenticity of the banknotes. Hence, I went to a nearby bank to cross-check, and then I got to know that they were fake currency notes.”
After bank officials confirmed that the banknotes were counterfeit, Sahoo immediately alerted the local authorities. Acting swiftly on the complaint, officers from the Baragada Town Police Station seized the fake currency and detained the minor buyer, who hails from neighbouring Jharsuguda district.
Investigating officers are currently questioning the suspect to uncover the supply chain behind the counterfeit notes and identify any co-conspirators.
