New Delhi, September 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Adesh Choudhary, a contractual driver attached to a Punjab National Bank (PNB) currency chest in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, in connection with a conspiracy involving counterfeit Indian currency with a face value of Rs 17.29 crore. The agency had earlier arrested another key accused, Amit Kumar, in the case.
Choudhary, a resident of New Nandpuri Colony in Saharanpur, is among the accused being investigated in connection with the recovery of counterfeit notes from the PNB currency chest in the city.
The case came to light on August 29, when Sadar Bazar police received information about counterfeit currency allegedly stored inside the PNB currency chest. Preliminary investigation indicated the involvement of three bank employees, who were subsequently suspended.
An FIR was registered at Sadar Bazar police station on August 29 under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The NIA subsequently took over the investigation and re-registered the case on September 3.
The agency arrested Amit Kumar, one of the named accused, on September 7. With Choudhary’s arrest, two key individuals have now been taken into custody in connection with the case.
Investigators are examining Choudhary’s alleged role in the wider conspiracy and are seeking to establish how such a large quantity of counterfeit currency reached a bank currency chest meant for genuine cash.
The probe is also examining the roles of the suspended bank employees and other individuals who may have facilitated the alleged operation. Investigators are working to trace the source and movement of the counterfeit notes and determine whether genuine currency was replaced with fake notes.
The recovery has prompted scrutiny of security and cash-handling procedures at the PNB facility. Investigators are also examining financial records, digital evidence and other material to reconstruct the movement of the currency and identify additional suspects.
The NIA has said that its investigation is continuing to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy and identify the remaining accused and other associates involved in the case.
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