City crime branch officers are on the prowl, as are Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) officials. Even plain-clothed officers of the Central Intelligence Unit (CIU) are on their toes as they patrol the streets of Mumbai, in search of a common prey — gangs who are quietly flooding the city with fake currency notes, mostly to help politicians bribe poor voters. But it is this same fake currency that is often used to fund terrorist activities.

The policemen are accompanied by a videographer to record the work. At many check points, an income tax officer is also present to check suspicious vehicles, especially ones which display stickers of political parties. Pic/Sameer Markande

Success has been sporadic so far. Last week, the ATS squad arrested Bakthar Hudda, Mohammad Shaikh and Mohammad Jamma from just outside Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli. The three men were trying to pass off fake currency notes to
a gang.

Last month, CIU officials had arrested a Delhi-based estate agent, Dineshsingh Megh Singh after three other men arrested for possession of fake currency notes, revealed that Singh had supplied them Rs 10.85 lakh in cash. The trio was told to circulate the currency to poor slum dwellers in Dadar and Andheri.