Nagpur Man Arrested for Printing ₹85 Lakh in Fake Currency
A jobless man in Nagpur believed in manifestation techniques from YouTube, leading him to print counterfeit notes worth ₹85 lakh.
Pushpam Bhadane was arrested after a 36-hour search for printing fake currency.
He believed rituals could change his financial situation, leading to the counterfeiting.
Police found no evidence of him using the fake notes for transactions.
In a bizarre case from Nagpur, a man named Pushpam Bhadane was apprehended for allegedly printing counterfeit currency amounting to ₹85 lakh. The arrest occurred shortly after midnight on Sunday in Nandanvan, following a meticulous 36-hour search that utilized call detail records and mobile phone tracking. Bhadane's actions were reportedly motivated by a belief in manifestation techniques he learned from YouTube, which he thought would help him secure a better job and improve his financial situation.
Bhadane's plan involved a series of rituals, including burying the fake currency and nurturing a tulsi plant at the burial site. He believed that by performing these rituals and visualizing his desires, he could alter his financial destiny. According to police reports, he dedicated three hours each day to these practices, hoping for a turnaround in his fortunes. His devotion to the Sindhi deity Jhulelal further fueled his superstitious beliefs.
The background of Bhadane's life reveals a string of personal and financial hardships. After experiencing a divorce, losing his job, and suffering losses in forex trading and the stock market, he found himself in dire straits. His subsidized grain ration shop also closed, leaving him without a steady income. Subsequently, he moved into a rented place, relying on dwindling savings and support from friends. Investigators noted that he learned to print currency-like notes through online tutorials.
Interestingly, police have stated that there is no evidence suggesting Bhadane used the counterfeit notes for purchasing goods or defrauding anyone. Senior Inspector Pramod Pore from Wathoda police station mentioned that Bhadane kept the printed notes for manifestation purposes, even using them as a pillow while sleeping. The case came to light when his landlord, Ramesh Harde, concerned about unpaid rent and Bhadane's absence, entered the apartment and discovered the printing equipment and bundles of counterfeit currency.
During the police operation, officers recovered fully printed ₹500 notes worth approximately ₹37 lakh and partially printed notes valued at around ₹48 lakh, bringing the total estimated value of the seized materials to ₹85 lakh. The operation was overseen by Senior Inspector Pore and ACP Rohit Ovhal, who successfully tracked Bhadane's whereabouts through mobile phone data before making the arrest.
