Several social media users have posted images that show stacks Rs 2,000 currency notes seized by the police. The accompanying claim suggests that the cash was recovered from the car of Ketan Dave, an RSS worker.

On January 14, Twitter-user @HabibHasan_ posted the viral images and tweeted in Hindi, “Consignment of fake notes found in the car of honest RSS supporter Ketan Dave in GujaratтАж RBI should be closed and the task of printing currency notes should be given to him.” This tweet has been retweeted over 400 times.

[Translated from: рдЧреБрдЬрд░рд╛рдд рд╕реЗ рдирдХрд▓реА рдиреЛрдЯреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рднрдВрдбрд╛рд░ рдкрдХрдбрд╝рд╛ рдЧрдпрд╛ рдФрд░ рдИрдорд╛рдирджрд╛рд░ рд╕рдВрдШ рд╕рдорд░реНрдердХ рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреЗрддрди рджрд╡реЗ рдХреА рдХрд╛рд░ рд╕реЗ рдорд┐рд▓рд╛ рдпреЗ рдирдХрд▓реА рдиреЛрдЯреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рдЬрдЦреАрд░рд╛… RBI рдХреЛ рдмрдиреНрдж рдХрд░рдХреЗ Currency рдЫрд╛рдкрдиреЗ рдФрд░ рд╕рдВрдЪрд╛рд▓рди рдХрд╛ рдХрд╛рдо рднреА рдЗрдирдХреЛ рд╣реА рджреЗ рджреЗрдирд╛ рдЪрд╛рд╣рд┐рдпреЗ ]”

An India TV broadcast which reports Rs 4.5 crores worth fake Rs 2000 notes seized in Gujarat was shared by Facebook page ‘рдмреАрдЖрд░рд╕реАрдПрд╕ рдИрдирдЯрд░рдиреЗрд╢рдирд▓ (BRCS International)’ with the same message. It is noteworthy that the channel also reported that the cash was recovered from Ketan Dave’s car however did not mention his alleged association with RSS, as claimed on social media. The video drew over 1.3 lakh views.

рдЧреБрдЬрд░рд╛рдд рд╕реЗ
рджреЗрд╢рднрдХреНрддрд┐ рдФрд░ рдИрдорд╛рдирджрд╛рд░реА рд╕реЗ рднрд░рдкреВрд░ рд╕рдВрдШ рд╕рдорд░реНрдердХ рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреЗрддрди рджрд╡реЗ рдХреА рдХрд╛рд░ рд╕реЗ рдорд┐рд▓рд╛ рдпреЗ рдирдХрд▓реА рдиреЛрдЯреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рднрдгреНрдбрд╛рд░…

Posted by рдмреАрдЖрд░рд╕реАрдПрд╕ рдИрдирдЯрд░рдиреЗрд╢рдирд▓ on Monday, 13 January 2020

Similarly, several users on Facebook and Twitter shared the viral claim.

It is noteworthy that the photographs are circulating in the backdrop of the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data which said that Rs 2,000 banknotes comprised 56% of all counterfeit currency seized in India after demonetisation, i.e. in 2017 and 2018.

FACT-CHECK

Viral images

Alt News performed a Google reverse image search of one the viral images and found a November 2, 2019 report by Telangana Today. As per the report, Telangana police arrested four members of a family and some others while seizing 350 bundles of fake Rs 2000 currency notes from Khammam. Shaik Madar was identified as the main accused.

In the report, Commissioner of Police (CP) Tafseer Iqubal said that the racket was being operated with Sathupalli town as its centre.

The incident was also reported by Financial Express and ANI.

The viral claim that the incident took place in Gujarat is false. As per reports, the cash was seized in Khammam, Telangana in November 2019.

India TV broadcast

Alt News performed a keyword search on Google and found that the viral clip was picked up from a three-minute broadcast uploaded by India TV in March 2017.

The broadcast talked about counterfeit currency seized in Rajkot, Gujarat from a Rajot-based financer Ketan Dave. A report by Financial Express also identified Dave as a Rajkot-based financier. We were unable to find any reports which suggest that he is associated with or supports the RSS.

A video of the incident was also tweeted in November 2019 by journalist Aneri Shah.

A clipped version of India TV’s broadcast was shared with a false message on social media.

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About the Author

ЁЯЩП Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023.