Thane court acquits man in 2019 counterfeit currency case, cites lack of evidence

Time of India

13-05-2025

THANE: After a
legal battle
spanning nearly six years, the
Thane Sessions Court
acquitted a man in a case involving alleged possession of
counterfeit currency
and related materials.
Adil Amjad Mansuri
, a resident of
Kausa
, was acquitted recently.
The case, which originated from a raid conducted in June 2019, was decided by Additional Sessions Judge Amit M.
Shete, who cited a lack of evidence and procedural lapses in the investigation.
According to the prosecution, a police team led by officers from
Mumbra Police Station
received a tip-off on June 8, 2019, about counterfeit currency being stored at a local shop named "Lucky Mattresses" in
Rashid Compound
, Kausa.
A raid was carried out that evening, during which the police claimed to recover 115 counterfeit ₹500 notes and several tools allegedly used for counterfeiting—such as a stapler-like punching machine, screwdrivers, metal discs, and multi-coloured cello tape.
Mansuri, present at the location, was immediately detained. He was formally arrested the next day and charged under Sections 489-C (possession of counterfeit currency with intent to use as genuine) and 489-D (possession of tools for counterfeiting currency) of the
Indian Penal Code
.
Despite the initial gravity of the charges, the prosecution's case weakened considerably during the trial. Of the five witnesses examined, one panch witness turned hostile, while another revealed he was under the impression he was called only to take photographs.
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No CCTV footage, video recording, or independent proof of the raid was presented.
Crucially, the prosecution failed to submit any ownership documents or tenancy records linking Mansuri directly to the shop. "Mere presence at the scene is insufficient to establish possession or ownership," the court noted.
The court also raised concerns over the non-production of several counterfeit notes in court. Of the 115 allegedly recovered, only a sample of four was sent to the Currency Note Press in Nashik for analysis, whose report confirmed their fake nature. However, the remaining notes were not brought before the court, raising questions about the chain of custody.
"There is a serious gap in the evidence establishing that the accused had knowledge or control over the counterfeit notes or the alleged instruments," he stated.