World
India
A raid in Uttara Kannada district’s Dandeli town on Tuesday evening left police baffled after bundles of ₹500 notes suspected to be film prop currency were discovered in a rented house in Gandhinagar.
Acting on a specific tip-off, local police seized the suspicious notes along with a money-counting machine. Upon initial inspection, the notes lacked standard security features seen on genuine Indian currency including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seal, the Governor’s signature, and serial numbers. Instead, they bore the words: “For film shooting purposes only.”
What Made the Notes Suspicious?
-
No serial numbers
-
“Reverse Bank of India” printed instead of RBI
Advertisement · Scroll to continue -
Printed on shiny, non-standard paper
-
Zeroes replaced the denomination numbers
-
Clearly marked as intended for film shooting on the reverse
A senior officer told media, “There is also no serial number on it, and therefore, it cannot be categorised as fake currency. On the back side of the note, it’s mentioned that it is for film shooting purposes. However, verification is still pending.”
What’s Next?
-
The tenant residing in the house has been taken into custody
-
Police are conducting further investigations to determine if the notes were being misused or stockpiled for any illegal purpose
Could This Be a Misuse of Prop Money?
While film prop currency is not illegal when used in legitimate productions, possessing large quantities of such notes without appropriate documentation or context can raise suspicions — especially if stored in a private residence rather than a studio.
