Fake currency trafficked through complex network spread in India, Bangladesh, Nepal

New Delhi, May 04: The NIA has filed a supplementary charge-sheet against two people, including a Nepali national, for their alleged involvement in smuggling Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN, officials said.

The supplementary charge-sheet was filed before a special NIA court in Patna under sections of the IPC and the UA(P) Act against two accused, Mohammad Baitullah of Bihar's Kishanganj and Biltu Mahto of Nepal's Dhanusha district.

The case pertains to the recovery of high-quality FICN, with a face value of Rs 1,90,500 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Sub Regional Unit in Bihar's Purnea from the possession of Mohammad Mumataj of Bihar's Madhubani in December 2019.

The NIA earlier filed charge-sheets against Mumataj and Golam Martuja.

Baitullah and Mahto, close associates of Mumataj, were involved in procuring, circulation and trafficking of high-quality FICN, the NIA official said.

The seized FICN having a face value of Rs 1,90,500 was meant to be delivered to Mahto, the probe revealed.

Baitullah was a conduit for carrying FICN from Martuja for supplying to Mumataj who in turn supplied the same to Mahto of Nepal.

Baitullah had provided two consignments in 2019 to Mumataj, the official said.
While he was going to hand over the high-quality FICN having a face value of Rs 1,20,000, he was arrested by the DRI, Siliguri.

Baitullah has also been arrested and charge-sheeted in another FICN case being investigated by the NIA, the official said.

The investigation has further revealed that FICN was being trafficked through a complex network spread in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, the NIA official said, adding that further investigation in the case continues.