Fake notes:NIA arrests absconding accused from West Bengal

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The National Investigation Agency Monday arrested an absconding accused Abdul Kadir in connection with a Fake Indian currency racket.

He was arrested from Malda in West Bengal for his "active role in procurement, trafficking and supply of huge quantities of fake Indian currency notes in connivance with his associates based in West Bengal as well as in Karnataka," the NIA said in a release.

A team from the NIA's Hyderabad branch arrested him.

With this, seven people have been arrested in the case.

The NIA filed a supplementary charge sheet at a court here Monday against three people allegedly involved in the racket and pumping in counterfeit currency notes from Bangladesh.

The charge sheet was filed in the NIA court against Gangadhar Kolkar alias Gangappa of Bagalkot district, Shukuruddin Sekh and Shahnawaz Kasuri, both from Malda district in West Bengal.

They are presently lodged in the Presidency Correction Home of Alipore in Kolkata, according to the release.

The NIA had earlier filed its first charge sheet against Dalim Mia, Ashok Kumbar and Rajendra Patil.

They have been booked under various IPC sections, including 120B (criminal conspiracy).

The case, known as 'Chikodi FICN case', relates to seizure of 41 Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), all in the denomination of Rs 2000, having face value of Rs 82,000 from the residence of the accused Ashok Kumbar, the release said.

During investigation, it was found that the accused along with their associates had hatched a criminal conspiracy to procure and circulate FICN in India "to damage the monetary stability" of the country, the NIA said.

In furtherance of the conspiracy, the NIA said Kolkar, Kasuri and Sekh procured the fake notes and trafficked it from West Bengal to Bengaluru for further circulation.

"The case has revealed interstate and international linkage pointing towards supply of FICN received from Bangladesh," it added.