The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Amit Kumar, a bank employee and key accused in the counterfeit currency conspiracy at the Punjab National Bank (PNB) currency chest in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
He was arrested in Chandigarh on September 7 and produced before a Special NIA Court, which granted a two-day transit remand to facilitate his production before the Special NIA Court in Lucknow.
The case concerns the recovery of counterfeit Indian currency notes valued at Rs 17.29 crore from the PNB currency chest in Saharanpur on August 29, 2026.
The initial complaint was registered as FIR No. 0431/2026 on August 29 at the Sadar Bazar Police Station in Saharanpur under Section 178 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, naming three accused.
Preliminary investigations revealed the involvement of three PNB employees, all of whom were suspended by the bank. Amit Kumar, who held the position of PNB manager and was a joint custodian of the currency chest at the time, is one of the three named in the FIR.
The case was subsequently taken over by the NIA and re-registered on September 3, 2026. The agency is examining the broader conspiracy to determine the source, procurement, and circulation of the counterfeit notes as well as the roles of additional persons involved.
