A man carrying Rs 24 lakh in cash was detained at Kolkata airport on Wednesday afternoon, triggering fresh concerns over the frequent movement of unaccounted money and counterfeit currency across the state.
CISF personnel, during routine surveillance at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, intercepted the passenger after noticing suspicious behaviour. During baggage scanning, officials detected bundles of high-value notes. As the man failed to provide satisfactory documents or a credible explanation for the cash, he was handed over to the local police for further questioning.
Earlier in the day, a separate incident at New Farakka railway station added to the alarm. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the New Farakka GRP, led by IC Prashanta Roy and assisted by acting officer Bappaditya Jha, conducted a search operation at the station. Officers noticed a man loitering suspiciously on Platform No. 1 and detained him for questioning. A search of his belongings led to the recovery of counterfeit notes worth Rs 6 lakh, neatly packed inside an office file concealed in his bag. GRP sources said preliminary interrogation suggests the man may be part of a larger network involved in circulating fake currency in the region.
Both cases are now under detailed investigation, with police examining possible links to organised rackets. With repeated cases of cash seizures and counterfeit currency surfacing across the state, security agencies say the pattern is deeply worrying. The twin recoveries on Wednesday have once again brought the focus back on the need for heightened vigilance at transit points.