Acting on a tipoff, a team of the Golapganj investigation centre under Kaliachak police station in Malda district on Tuesday nabbed three persons, including two residents of Maharashtra, with fake Indian currency notes (FICN) of around Rs 5 lakh on them.

The fake currency was in denominations of Rs 500, police sources said.

The team, led by Sukumar Roy, a subinspector of Golapganj investigation centre, conducted the raid at 10pm at Baburbona in Kaliachak and arrested Iftikar Muktar Ahmed Ansari, Mohammad Wasim Khan and Mohammad Asmaul Haque.

After the trio's arrest, the police found out that Ansari was from Chunabhatti police station area under Mumbai suburban district while Khan is from Kamothe police station area in Raigarh district of Maharashtra.

Haque, on the other hand, is from Uttar Laxmipur under Mothabari police station of Malda district.

“During preliminary probe, it was found that the duo from Maharashtra had come to Malda to buy the fake currency notes,” said Alok Rajoria, the Malda superintendent of police. “All three would be interrogated to obtain more information. They are suspected to be associated with a racket that deals in fake currency and has its tentacles spread from Bengal to Maharashtra,” he added.