Pradip Guruji alias Pradip Jotangiya, the chief of Surat-based Satyam Yog Foundation, has been arrested by the police while running what looks like a full-fledged fake currency notes racket. The police have seized fake notes with a face value of Rs 2.3 crores.
Under Police interrogation, Pradip Guruji admitted to running the racket, stating that he needed the money “for good deeds for the society”. He insisted that the organisation was short on money, so they decided to print notes themselves.
Pradip Jotangiya and his associates reportedly pooled funds to purchase printers, cutters and other equipment to print fake Rs 500 notes. They even used ChatGPT and other advanced AI tools to create different serial numbers and designs on the notes. The group was busted when trying to scout buyers in the market to sell their notes and bring them into circulation.
અમદાવાદ શહેર ખાતેથી બે કરોડ અને દસ લાખ રૂપિયાની તથા સુરત શહેર ખાતેથી અઠયાવીસ લાખ રૂપિયાની રૂ. 500/-ના દરની બનાવટી ભારતીય ચલણી નોટો સાથે એક મહિલા સહિત કુલ–7 આરોપીઓની ધરપકડ કરી ભારતીય અર્થતંત્રને નુકશાન થતુ અટકવવા કાર્યવાહી કરતી અમદાવાદ શહેર, ક્રાઈમ બ્રાન્ચ. #CrimeBranch pic.twitter.com/XSzBDXU1NW
— CRIME BRANCH AHMEDABAD CITY (@CrimeAhmedabad) March 19, 2026
Interestingly, Jotangiya’s gang was found using a white Fortuner vehicle marked with the insignia of the Ministry of Ayush. It is yet to be confirmed if they were using false insignia. On Thursday, the Ahmedabad police raided the Satyam Yog Foundation Ashram in Surat and the residences of two key associates of Pradip Guruji, named Bharat Patel and Mukesh Thummar, and got an additional Rs 28 lakhs in FICN.
Thummar is said to be the key ‘technical’ person behind the racket. Police have stated that he has a good knowledge of computers and he was the one who used contacts in China to procure high-value paper with watermark-like features for the operation. The gang reportedly prepared and started the FICN operation six months ago.
The names of the arrested accused are Pradip Jotangiya alias Pradip Guruji, Mukesh Thummar, Bharatbhai Kakadia alias Bharat Patel, Rameshbhai, Ashok Mavani, Divyesh Rana and a woman.
Ahmedabad City Crime Branch DCP Ajit Rajian stated that the police have not only seized the FICN supply and machinery, but have successfully dismantled the entire network that was working to circulate the FICN into the city economy.
