Fake note printers can copy 11 out of 17 security features of new Rs 2000 notes

 

To prevent counterfeiting, the Central government is planning to change security features of higher denomination banknotes of ₹2,000 and ₹500 every 3-4 years in accordance with global standards. The move comes in the wake of recovery of a large amount of fake Indian currency notes in last four months after demonetisation.

 

The issue was discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting on March 30 attended by senior officials of the ministries of Finance and Home, including Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. Advocating the move, Home Ministry officials said most of the developed countries change security features of their currency notes every 3-4 years, and therefore, it is absolutely necessary for India to follow this policy.

 

The change in the design of Indian currency notes of higher denominations was long due. Till its demonetisation, there had been no major change in the ₹1,000 note since its introduction in 2000. Changes in the old ₹500 note, which was launched in 1987, were carried out more than a decade ago.

 

The newly introduced notes had no additional security features and were similar to those in the old ₹1,000 and ₹500 notes, officials said. A close look by the investigators on some of the recently seized fake notes found that at least 11 of the 17 security features in the new ₹2,000 notes had been replicated.
 

Did you know your new Rs 2000 note had these security features?

 

#It has a transparent area

#A watermark

# Ashoka Pillar emblem

# The letters '₹2000' on the left

#The guarantee clause with the Reserve Bank of India Governor's signature

# The denomination number in Devanagari (Hindi) on the front

 

These were some of the security features which were found copied on the fake notes, officials said. Besides, the motif of 'Chandrayaan', the 'Swachh Bharat' logo and the year of printing had been copied on the reverse side. Although the print and paper quality of the seized counterfeits was poor, they resembled genuine notes.

 

The officials said the change of security features of currency notes in every 3-4 years will lead to curbing of counterfeiting to a great extent. Those who were arrested recently along with fake notes with face value of ₹2,000 have told investigators that the notes were printed in Pakistan with the help of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and had been smuggled into the country through Bangladesh, the officials claimed. A study conducted by the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, in 2016 pegged the value of fake Indian currency notes in circulation at ₹400 crore.