NIA nabs kingpin of fake currency network from Guwahati

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team from Hyderabad arrested one absconding accused Md. Akbar Ali from Katabari near Bharalopar Fatasha in Guwahati, who carried a bounty of Rs.25,000 on his head.

The arrest was made in accordance with a case related to seizure of high quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) of face value Rs.5,01,500 from the possession of one Saddam Hossain in September 2015 at Visakhapatnam.

During investigation, it was revealed that Hossain had travelled to Malda (West Bengal) from Bengaluru on the instructions of Amirul Hoque and collected high quality FICN from Roustam on four occasions in 2015 and was part of a larger group of persons involved in smuggling high quality FICN from across the international borders and circulating it in Bengaluru.

Investigation revealed that Akbar Ali had come to Bengaluru from Assam in 2007 and was working in a florist shop. He was introduced into the FICN business by his uncle, Hakim. Ali, who was booked on two counts, was absconding for many years, during which he was instrumental in forming a gang at Bengaluru which was involved in trafficking and circulating fake currency.

Furthermore, the NIA revealed that Ali was part of a larger conspiracy along with other accused persons mostly based in Malda, West Bengal in smuggling high quality FICN from across the international border with an intention to threaten the monetary stability of India. The proceeds from circulation of FICN were deposited into the bank accounts of accused persons and their associates based at Malda.

During investigation, names of other members of the interstate gang and their associates from Malda and Bengaluru also came to light and investigation against them is underway.

Ali was produced in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Kamrup on Thursday for obtaining transit remand, following which he was scheduled to be taken to Vijayawada and produced before a special NIA Court.

Meanwhile, NIA's Hyderabad division filed charge sheets against Saddam Hossain and Amirul Hoque in 2016, and against Roustam and Hakim in July this year.

-ANI