Five Held in Coimbatore for Trying to Circulate Fake ₹500 Notes at TASMAC Bar

Coimbatore: Five youths were arrested for allegedly attempting to circulate counterfeit ₹500 currency notes at a TASMAC bar, after employees grew suspicious of the notes tendered for the purchase of liquor. Police seized 372 counterfeit notes with a total face value of ₹1.86 lakh, while another suspect allegedly involved in the case remains at large.

The incident occurred at the '11 to 11' TASMAC outlet and bar on Perur Bypass Road on Sunday evening. According to police, a group of youths visited the bar on Monday evening and purchased liquor, tendering ₹500 notes as payment. The employees became suspicious after noticing that the notes appeared identical and subsequently found them to be counterfeit.

Following information about the incident, the Big Bazaar Street Police rushed to the spot and detained the youths. During a search, police recovered 372 counterfeit ₹500 notes, collectively worth ₹1,86,000, which were allegedly intended to be circulated among the public.

The arrested men were identified as Akthar Parvesh (21) of Fathima Nagar Second Street in Karumbukadai; Aabeel (20) of Samsul Mahal Street in Thippu Nagar, Karumbukadai; Yahya Iliyas, alias Aki Hiyas (19), of Amul Nagar in Selvapuram; Shahid (19), and Mohammed Irfan (18) of South Ukkadam.

Police registered a case and arrested the five men. They were subsequently produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, another suspect, identified as Mukesh Kumar, allegedly escaped and is being traced by the police. Investigators are also probing the source of the counterfeit notes and whether a larger network was involved in their production and circulation.