In a bizarre incident in Ahmedabad, an unsuspecting trader was scammed with counterfeit ₹500 notes that bizarrely bore the image of Bollywood actor Anupam Kher instead of Mahatma Gandhi. The shocking revelation came to light after the trader, Mehul Thakkar, filed a complaint with the Navrangpura police station on September 24.
Thakkar, a bullion trader, was approached by the suspects for a deal involving 2,100 grams of gold valued at ₹1.6 crore. They delivered ₹1.3 crore in cash as part of the deal, with a promise to pay the remaining ₹30 lakh the following day. After handing over the gold, the suspects vanished, leaving Thakkar to discover that the cash he received was counterfeit.
Expressing disbelief at the unusual twist in the case, Anupam Kher took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share his reaction: “My photo instead of Mahatma Gandhi’s on a ₹500 note??? Kuch bhi ho sakta hai (Anything can happen).” Kher’s response highlighted the strange nature of the crime that intertwines the film industry with counterfeit currency.
According to police reports, Thakkar was initially contacted by Prashant Patel, a jewelry shop manager with whom he had a longstanding business relationship. Patel informed Thakkar that the buyer could not transfer the full amount immediately and would instead provide ₹1.3 crore in cash.
On September 24, a staff member named Joshi delivered the gold to a temporary office set up by the suspects just two days prior. After handing over 26 bundles of cash, the suspects asked Joshi to count the money using a machine while they stepped out to retrieve the remaining amount. It was only after the men had disappeared that Joshi realized the notes featured Kher’s likeness instead of Gandhi’s.
The police are currently investigating the matter and are using CCTV footage to track the two suspects, who are still at large. A police officer from the Navrangpura station remarked, “This is a unique case of counterfeit currency with a Bollywood twist. We are working to identify and apprehend the culprits.”
Sources By Agencies
