0
Comment(s)
*
* The moderation of comments is automated and not cleared manually by indianexpress.com.
In a press note, the NIA said that following an investigation, officials found the fake notes were coming from Bangladesh. (Representational) In a joint operation, the Lucknow and Mumbai units of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have arrested the suspected prime accused of a fake Indian currency notes (FICN) racket from Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Shadab Khan, was arrested from near his home at Mugaljot village in the Khorahasa area on Monday. He allegedly used to bring fake notes from the India-Bangaldesh border and distribute them. The NIA has taken him to Mumbai.
In a press note, the NIA said that following an investigation, officials found the fake notes were coming from Bangladesh. They will now try to trace the traffickers based there.
According to the agency, Khan is wanted in a case related to the arrest of five people in Maharashtra’s Thane district in October 2018. The police then allegedly recovered fake notes of Rs 2,000 denomination with a face value of Rs 4.78 lakh. Those arrested were Rehan Abbas Shaikh, Safad Mukhtar Ansari, Anis Iqlakh Shaikh, Kishor Namdeo Phular and Rohit Nagendra Singh – all residents of Bandra in Mumbai.
An NIA official said a month later, the investigation was transferred to the central agency. The NIA registered the case in November 2018 under sections 489-B (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes), 489-C (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
According to an agency official, during the course of the investigation, the names of four more people came to light. Three of them – Samir Kalicharan Mandal, Sabir Ali and Abdul Kadir – were arrested. The fourth accused was Shadab, who remained absconding till now.
The NIA has filed chargesheet against the eight arrested accused.
“During the course of the investigation, NIA found Shadab to be the prime accused in the racket. He collected fake notes from one Samir Mondal and delivered them to Anis Iqlakh Shaikh in Mumbai. After delivery, Shadab was found to be absconding,” said the official.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
