Ahmedabad Trader Duped with Fake Notes Featuring Anupam Kher’s Image; Actor Reacts
Ahmedabad Trader Duped with Fake Notes Featuring Anupam Kher’s Image; Actor Reacts
Actor Anupam Kher expressed disbelief after an Ahmedabad trader was scammed with counterfeit ₹500 notes bearing his image instead of Mahatma Gandhi’s. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the 69-year-old actor reacted with shock, saying, “My photo instead of Mahatma Gandhi’s on a ₹500 note??? Kuch bhi ho sakta hai (Anything can happen).” He also shared a video report detailing the incident.
The fraud victim, Mehul Thakkar, a bullion trader, filed a complaint at the Navrangpura police station on September 24. Thakkar’s employee was approached by the suspects for a gold deal involving 2,100 grams, valued at ₹1.6 crore. The suspects delivered ₹1.3 crore in cash, promising to pay the remaining ₹30 lakh later. After receiving the gold, the scammers disappeared, leaving behind counterfeit notes featuring the Bollywood actor’s face.
According to the police, Thakkar was introduced to the buyer by Prashant Patel, a trusted jewelry shop manager with whom he had done business for years. Patel explained that the buyer couldn’t transfer the full amount immediately and would provide ₹1.3 crore in cash upfront.
On September 24, Thakkar’s employee, Joshi, delivered the gold to a temporary office set up by the suspects. After handing over 26 bundles of cash, the scammers asked Joshi to count the money while they stepped outside to collect the remaining amount. It was only after they had fled that Joshi discovered the fake notes bore Anupam Kher’s likeness.
The police are investigating the case, analyzing CCTV footage to track down the suspects, who remain at large. “This is a unique case of counterfeit currency with a Bollywood twist,” commented a police officer from the Navrangpura station. Authorities are working diligently to apprehend the culprits.
