The discovery of bundles of suspicious ₹500 notes in a rented house in Dandeli, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka triggered alarm but soon took a curious turn when police realized they weren’t counterfeit currency in the legal sense—they were “movie money.”
During the Tuesday evening raid, which was based on a specific tip-off, police seized:
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Bundles of fake-looking ₹500 notes
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A money-counting machine
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A tenant for questioning
At first glance, it seemed like a counterfeiting operation, but officials noticed several glaring inconsistencies:
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No RBI seal
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No RBI Governor’s signature
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No serial numbers
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Reverse side clearly stated: “for film shooting purposes only”
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Notes had "Reverse Bank of India" printed instead of Reserve Bank of India
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Printed on shiny, unrealistic paper
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Denominations were replaced by zeroes
As a result, senior police officers clarified that these notes do not fall under the category of fake currency under Indian law, since there’s no intent to deceive and they clearly indicate their non-legal tender status.
Still, the presence of such a large volume of these notes has raised suspicions, and authorities are investigating whether they were being misused or stored for potential deceptive use. The tenant is being questioned to determine the origin and purpose of the stash.
This incident highlights the gray area between prop money and counterfeit currency, and while these notes may not be legally fake, they still pose potential risks of misuse, especially in rural or unsuspecting communities.
