NIA court sentences two men for circulating fake Indian currency notes

Kolkata, Aug 7 (PTI) A special NIA court here has sentenced two men to rigorous imprisonment for circulating fake Indian currency notes.

The court on Tuesday sentenced Asim Sarkar of Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh) to 7-year RI while co-accused Aladu of Malda (West Bengal) will have to spend five years in jail, an official statement issued on Wednesday said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively on the two convicts. They will have to spend another three months in jail if they fail to deposit the fine.

Sarkar and Aladu have been held culpable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence sleuths had seized 99 fake notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000 and two notes in the denomination of Rs 500, having a total face value of Rs 1,99,000, from Sarkar, in 2019.

Two other accused, Aladu and Faijul Sk, were arrested subsequently by the NIA, which took over the case in October 2019. Faijul Sk is already serving a 5-year jail sentence in the case.

Trial against an absconding Bangladeshi national, identified as Abdul Rahim, is continuing in the case.

NIA investigations had found that all the four accused were involved in the criminal conspiracy to procure and circulate FICNs with the intention to use it as genuine for unlawful gain, the statement said.