Fake currency smuggler sentenced to 5 yrs in jail

Kolkata: A special NIA court here on Wednesday sentenced a man to five years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 14,000 on him for smuggling fake Indian currency notes, officials said.

Jahirul, 26, a resident of West Bengal’s Malda, was convicted under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency said.

An FIR was registered in Malda on May 12, 2015, following the seizure of FICNs of face value Rs 9,00,000 and 800 grams of opium from Sunesh Kumar and Rajen Kumar, the official said.

The NIA re-registered the case on June 12, 2015 and filed charge sheets against eight accused including one absconding Bangladeshi national, the official said.

Six accused already stand convicted in the case. Jahirul has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment and fined Rs 14,000.

During investigation, it was revealed that Jahirul along with other associates had hatched a criminal conspiracy for procuring and circulating fake Indian currency notes in India and was active since 2014, the NIA spokesperson said.

Investigation also revealed that FICNs were procured from Bangladesh and smuggled via Indo-Bangladesh International border for circulation in different parts of India, the official said.