NIA arrests two more in ₹17.29 crore fake currency case at Saharanpur PNB chest
Synopsis
A ₹17.29 crore fake currency haul from inside a Punjab National Bank currency chest in Saharanpur has now led to four NIA arrests — including a contractual bank driver and two of his close associates. With three bank employees already suspended, the case points to possible insider collusion at the heart of India's cash distribution infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
The NIA arrested Mukesh Kumar and Rajendra Kumar on 20 September 2026 in the Saharanpur PNB fake currency case .
Counterfeit notes with a face value of ₹17.29 crore were recovered from the PNB currency chest, Civil Lines, Saharanpur on 29 August 2026 .
Both newly arrested accused are close associates of key accused Adesh Choudhary , a contractual driver at the PNB chest.
Earlier arrests include Amit Kumar on 7 September 2026 and Adesh Choudhary on 15 September 2026 .
Three PNB employees have been suspended following the probe; NIA took over the case on 3 September 2026 .
Investigation is ongoing to arrest remaining suspects and map the full scope of the conspiracy.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday, 20 September 2026, arrested two more accused — Mukesh Kumar and Rajendra Kumar — linked to the key conspirator in a case involving the circulation of counterfeit currency notes through the Punjab National Bank (PNB) currency chest at Civil Lines, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The arrests bring the total number of accused detained by the NIA in this case to four.
Who Was Arrested
Mukesh Kumar, son of Som Prakash, is a resident of Village Hasanpur Kadeem, Manoharpur. Rajendra Kumar, son of Pyare Lal, hails from Village Kalyanpur, Sarsawa. According to the NIA, both are close associates of previously arrested key accused Adesh Choudhary and are directly implicated in the conspiracy under case RC-02/2026/NIA/LKW.
How the Case Unfolded
On 29 August 2026, Police Station Sadar Bazar, District Saharanpur, received credible information about the recovery of counterfeit Indian currency notes with a face value of ₹17.29 crore from the PNB currency chest at Civil Lines, Saharanpur. The case was initially registered as FIR No. 0431/2026 under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
The NIA took over the case on 3 September 2026, re-registering it under its own jurisdiction. Prior to Sunday's arrests, the agency had apprehended Amit Kumar on 7 September 2026 and Adesh Choudhary — described as a contractual driver attached to the PNB currency chest — on 15 September 2026. Choudhary, a resident of Gangoh Road, New Nandpuri Colony, Saharanpur, is suspected to have played a pivotal role in routing high-value fake currency notes through the chest.
Bank Employees Also in the Frame
The investigation has implicated three employees of Punjab National Bank whose involvement surfaced during inquiry proceedings. All three have since been suspended by the bank, according to the NIA statement. The presence of insider complicity within the PNB branch raises serious questions about internal audit mechanisms at currency chest facilities across the country.
Investigation Ongoing
The NIA has stated that the investigation remains active, with efforts underway to identify and arrest remaining co-accused persons and suspects. Notably, this is one of the largest fake currency recoveries from a scheduled commercial bank's currency chest in recent years, making it a significant probe for agencies tasked with countering counterfeit Indian currency notes (CICN). The agency has not yet ruled out interstate or cross-border links in the racket.
Point of View
Reportedly with the help of contractual staff and possibly complicit employees, exposes a critical gap in the RBI's chest security protocols. Four arrests in under a month suggest a tightly knit local network, but the NIA's own caution about 'remaining suspects' implies the racket may extend further. The suspension of three bank employees without public disclosure of charges signals institutional defensiveness that could undermine public confidence in the currency distribution chain.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the two accused arrested by NIA on 20 September 2026 in the Saharanpur case?
The NIA arrested Mukesh Kumar, a resident of Village Hasanpur Kadeem, Manoharpur, and Rajendra Kumar, a resident of Village Kalyanpur, Sarsawa. Both are described as close associates of key accused Adesh Choudhary and are charged in connection with circulating counterfeit currency through the PNB chest in Saharanpur.
How much counterfeit currency was recovered from the Saharanpur PNB chest?
Counterfeit Indian currency notes with a face value of ₹17.29 crore were recovered from the Punjab National Bank currency chest at Civil Lines, Saharanpur, on 29 August 2026. The discovery triggered an FIR and was later taken over by the NIA.
How many people have been arrested in the NIA's Saharanpur fake currency case so far?
A total of four people have been arrested. Amit Kumar was detained on 7 September 2026, Adesh Choudhary on 15 September 2026, and Mukesh Kumar and Rajendra Kumar on 20 September 2026. The NIA has indicated that more arrests may follow.
What role did bank employees play in the Saharanpur counterfeit currency case?
The NIA's investigation revealed the involvement of three Punjab National Bank employees, all of whom have since been suspended by the bank. The exact nature of their alleged roles has not been publicly disclosed, and the probe is continuing.
When did the NIA take over the Saharanpur fake currency case?
The case was initially registered at Police Station Sadar Bazar, Saharanpur, as FIR No. 0431/2026 on 29 August 2026. The NIA re-registered it under its own jurisdiction on 3 September 2026 and has since led all arrests.
