In a significant breakthrough, Ghantaghar Police busted a fake coin minting unit running out of a house in Ghanerao Ki Ghati located inside the walled city. One person has been arrested in the incident while the mastermind is still absconding.

Constable Tarun Kumar of Ghantaghar Police Station received a tip-off regarding the fake minting of coins. Basis his information, team led by CI Rajendra Jain raided the house of Ghanerao Ki Ghati resident Lalit Soni (s/o Gopal Soni). On being interrogated he first gave information about him legally making sliver jewellery and coins.

Police then carried out a search operation in his house and found a 11 tonne Hydraulic machine in his possession. Next to the machine was a die of Rs 5 coin. Police also recovered fake coins from the place. Police arrested Soni in the case of Fake coin minting and circulation.

Soni informed that set up cost for the business was Rs 2.95 Lakh and this included the machine that was bought from Rajkot. He had been running this activity since July 2016. Over the last 10 months, he had minted over Rs 5 Lakh coins and these were currently in circulation. These were circulated in Toll-booths, grocery stores, petrol pumps and other stores needing regular supply of change. The circulation was done across the state.

The cost of making one fake Rs 5 coin was 50 paise leaving the culprits with a profit of Rs 4.5 per coin. Each coin used to absorb about 5 gm metal which was then polished to give a real coin look.

Basis the information given by Lalit, the mastermind behind this was Shivlal Soni (resident of RC Vyas colony, Bhilwara). Lalit also named Ghanerao-ki-ghati resident Saurabh Jain as a partner in crime.

Note: Picture depicted is representative