Police in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, have seized nearly Rs 20 lakh in counterfeit currency from a madrasa in Paithiya village, under Jawar police station limits. The fake notes were recovered from a rented room belonging to Zuber, son of Ashraf Ansari, who serves as an Imam at the local mosque. The seizure came following a tip-off from Maharashtra Police, who had previously arrested Zuber and his associate with counterfeit notes in Malegaon.
The racket came to light after Malegaon Police in Maharashtra arrested Zuber and his associate, Nazim Akam Ayub Ansari, with Rs 10 lakh in counterfeit notes. Following media reports of the arrests, a local resident in Jawar recognised one of the men as Zuber, the Imam of the Paithiya mosque.
खंडवा महाराष्ट्र बॉर्डर से लगा हुआ संवेदनशील ज़िला है यहाँ पूर्व में SIMI का मॉड्यूल पकड़ा जा चुका है।
मदरसे का तो बच्चों की शिक्षा से कोई संबंध होता ही नहीं है। https://t.co/N0rtQrR8aa— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) November 3, 2025
The resident promptly informed Jawar Police, who contacted senior officers and verified with Malegaon authorities that it was indeed the same Zuber. Acting on this information, Khandwa Police conducted a search at the madrasa.
A joint team of police, led by DSP (Headquarters) Anil Singh Chauhan and TI Sulochana Gehlod, raided Zuber’s rented room on the upper floor of the madrasa. During the search, officers recovered a bag containing counterfeit currency. After counting, the fake notes were found to total Rs 19.78 lakh. Police suspect that Zuber could be linked to a larger interstate counterfeit currency network.
According to officials, Zuber hails from Haripura in Burhanpur district. He had been residing at the madrasa for a few months while serving as an Imam. Investigators suspect that a large counterfeit currency network may be operating in the region, and police are questioning the arrested men to identify other participants in the racket.
Earlier, Malegaon Taluka Police apprehended Zuber and Nazim Akam Ayub Ansari on the Mumbai–Agra Highway near Hotel Avon. Officers recovered bundles of Rs 500 denomination counterfeit notes worth Rs 10 lakh, along with two mobile phones and a brown IMPEX bag. Forensic examination confirmed that the seized notes were entirely fake. Both accused were charged under Sections 179, 180, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and remanded to eight days of police custody.
Kaleem Khan, president of the Paithiya mosque committee, stated that Zuber had previously served as an Imam in Benpura Dongri village. After being replaced there, he was brought to Paithiya about three months ago. During his brief tenure, Zuber frequently took leave. On October 26, he informed the committee that his mother was unwell and went on leave but never returned.
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