In a strange case of fraud, a trader from Ahmedabad was left in shock after receiving counterfeit ₹500 notes, not only fake in value but also featuring Bollywood actor Anupam Kher's picture instead of Mahatma Gandhi’s. This unusual incident has gained widespread attention, with Kher himself expressing his disbelief humorously on social media. Sharing his reaction on Instagram, he wrote, "Lo ji krlo baat... 500 ke note par Gandhi ji ke jagah meri photo???? Kuch bhi ho skta hai" (Look at this! Oh my! ₹500 notes with my picture instead of Gandhi's? Anything can happen!).
The incident involved gold valued at ₹1.3 crore. It all started when a trader named Mehul Thakkar sent his employee, Bharat Joshi, to deliver 2,100 grams of gold worth ₹1.6 crore to two men as part of a business transaction. Thakkar had agreed to the deal after receiving a call from Prashant Patel, a jewelry shop manager whom he trusted. Patel informed Thakkar that the buyers were unable to transfer the entire amount via RTGS immediately but were willing to pay ₹1.3 crore in cash, promising to transfer the remaining ₹30 lakh the following day.
Joshi delivered the gold to the men at a temporary office in Navrangpura. The buyers handed over 26 bundles of ₹500 notes and told Joshi to count the cash using a machine while they went to collect the remaining ₹30 lakh. Upon closer examination, Joshi realized that the notes were counterfeit, featuring Anupam Kher's image in place of Mahatma Gandhi’s. By the time Joshi discovered the fraud, the men had vanished with the gold. Thakkar filed a police complaint at the Navrangpura police station on September 24. The police launched an investigation immediately, reviewing CCTV footage to trace the suspects, who remain at large. Authorities revealed that the culprits had set up the temporary office just two days prior to the deal, making it difficult for Joshi or Thakkar to detect anything suspicious beforehand. The use of a Bollywood star's image on fake currency has added an odd twist to this already bizarre case of fraud.