ATS nabs four with fake currency notes

The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) on January 5 arrested four men for possessing fake currency notes. Acting on specific intelligence inputs,the Vikholi unit of ATS led by Senior Inspector Ravindra Doiphode laid a trap at Mankhurd and nabbed Ibrahim Ali Sheikh (25) and his associates—Barkat Sheikh (19),Samfun Sheikh (36) and Motiur Sheikh (30). According to the ATS,the men were carrying fake currency notes with a counterfeit value of Rs 43,500. Barkat had a similar case registered against him in Karnataka and has been released recently. Others belong to a village in Jharkhand,said ATS officials.

According to ATS,the kingpin of the group is one Suraj Sheikh who operates from Jharkhand. It could his alias name,it said. The group had plans to circulate notes in areas around the satellite town of New Bombay and targetted flower and fruit markets.

It is to be noted that during the last three months,the number of fake currency seizures have gone up after two significant arrests done by the ATS and the Mumbai police. Most of these cases have been transferred to the National Investigating Agency (NIA). In all the earlier cases,the investigating agency is after a kingpin called Shaukat who is also from Jharkand. All the cases reveal that the fake currency notes are being circulated from Bangladesh with the country named specifically in the chargesheets.