KOCHI: A West Bengal native was arrested and 17 counterfeit currency notes were seized from his possession at Perumbavoor on Friday.

The accused has been identified as Selim Mondal, 30, of Sagarpara from Murshidabad, who was already involved in multiple theft cases.

Police intercepted Selim while investigating a mobile phone theft that occurred on a train in Alappuzha. During the probe, officers tracked the stolen phone, which had been switched on in the Perumbavoor area. This led them to Selim’s residence at Mavinchuvad, Perumbavoor where they recovered several stolen mobile phones.

However, police also discovered fake currency notes during the search. Upon verification, the notes were found to be high-quality counterfeits, complete with watermarks and security threads. Selim claimed he received the fake notes after selling a stolen mobile phone in Murshidabad.

Police are now investigating whether the counterfeit notes originated from outside India. Police are also checking whether the accused used the currencies for transactions.

The police have officially recorded Selim’s arrest, and he will be produced before the court on Saturday. Information about the seizure will also be shared with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Anti-Terrorist Squad, and other intelligence agencies for further investigation.