New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS): The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has busted an interstate fake currency racket with the arrest of its three key members, including an under-training Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) doctor and a Common Service Centre (CSC) owner, said an official on Tuesday.

The official also said that they have also recovered fake currency with a face value of Rs 50 lakh from the accused identified as Asif Ali, Danish Ali, and Sartaj Khan, all residents of Uttar Pradesh's Badaun.

The official said that the accused have printed and supplied more than fake notes with a face value of Rs 5 crore in the last five years.

Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, H.G.S. Dhaliwal said that on December 30, specific information was received that Asif, along with his 2-3 associates, would reach near the Akshardham Metro Station with a huge quantity of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) to supply to their other associates in Delhi.

"A trap was laid and Ali along with his two associates -- Danish Ali and Sartaj Khan -- were apprehended after a brief scuffle," he said.

On a search, fake Indian currency notes with face value totalling Rs 50 lakh in the denomination of 500 were recovered from their possession.

"During police custody remand, a complete FICN printing set-up, including raw materials, high-quality laptops and printers, and other equipment, was unearthed from their hideout in Sahaswan in Badaun," the Special CP said.

Ali had started working with a Unani medicine doctor at Ujhani, Badaun, and it was there that he gained knowledge about medicine. In 2016, he started giving medicines to people in his native village, but his earnings were not sufficient to support the large family.

"Then he found the printing of FICN to be very lucrative work to earn quick money. He roped in his associate, Sartaj Khan, as he was tech-savvy in computer software and other computer work to print fine-quality FICN," said Dhaliwal.

The accused purchased high-quality software for scanning and printing the fake currency notes.

"His old friend and associate Danish Ali arranged a secret hideout in Sahaswan for establishing a printing set-up. They would supply the FICN to their associates and clients in Delhi/NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and other areas,” said Dhaliwal.

Danish Ali is studying BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicines and Surgery) while Khan, about four years ago, opened a CSC centre in his village.

"Later, he, along with Asif Ali and Danish Ali, started printing FICN. Initially, he used to operate the scanning, formatting, and printing of the currency notes at his CSC shop in his native village. Later, they rented a premises in Sahaswan for the purpose," Dhaliwal added.