NIA takes over two fake currency cases in State

Monday, January 30, 2012: After the Taliparamba counterfeit currency case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has undertaken another two major Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) cases in the state, after some Pakistan links were established in both cases.
The NIA has undertaken the investigation of the fake currencies seized from Karipur and Nedumbassery International Airports worth `72.5 lakh and `24.16 lakh, respectively.
“The NIA has got a good lead in the FICN case investigation. The agency could unearth the link connecting these two cases during the investigation of previous counterfeit cases registered in Hyderabad,” the NIA officials said. The First Information Report (FIR) on these two cases will be submitted before the Ernakulam NIA Court within four days, they said. At present, these two cases were being investigated by the Organised Crime Wing (OCW) of the state police.
“During the investigation, the police team found that the currency notes seized were brought from Dubai and it was printed in Pakistan. After this, a request was made to the central government for handing over the case to the NIA,” an official from OCW said. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on August 16, 2008 seized counterfeit notes in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 amounting to Rs 72.5 lakh, from Mohammed Alshab, who arrived at the Karipur airport from Ras al Khaima.
Three others - C P Sajil, C S Abdul Maliq and Naushad - who came to receive him were also arrested.
The fake notes were kept concealed in a carton of toys and board games. Muhammad Rafi, Abdul Karim, Moosakkutty and Abdul Majeed were the other accused in this case. After this, Malappuram OCW wing registered a case and started the investigation.
The second case registered was with the seizure of counterfeit currencies in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 to the tune of Rs 24.18 lakh from a passenger at the Cochin International Airport.
The currency was found in the possession of K Gopinathan of Mavelikkara, who had arrived from Dubai by an Emirates flight
“Moosakutty alias Babu, working in Dubai, a friend of his co-worker Rafi of Kozhikode, handed over the consignment to him just before his departure from Dubai. The OCW had plans to add them in the accused list. Now, the NIA will take the decision,” the OCW official said.