Patna: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday searched multiple locations in three states in connection with a 2024 case of seizure of high-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) in Bihar.
Extensive searches were conducted at five locations in Bihar and one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana, as part of the NIA investigations into a fake currency racket operated by accused and suspects from Nepal by using crypto currency.
The NIA teams conducted searches at the premises of the accused and suspects in the Patna, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, and Motihari districts of Bihar, the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, and Hyderabad in Telangana.
As per the agency, cash amounting to Rs 1,49,400, along with digital devices, including pen drives, mobile phones and SIM cards, was seized during the searches. The team also recovered several incriminating documents.
The case relates to the seizure of FICN with a face value of Rs 1,95,000 from three accused persons, identified as Md Nazar Saddam of Bhagalpur, Md Waris of Bhojpur, and Zakir Hussain of Patna.
The accused were arrested by the local police during vehicle checking near Kharwa bridge in the Banjariya area on September 5, 2024. The police later also arrested another accused, Muzaffar Ahmad Wani alias Sarfaraz, from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. NIA, which took over the case from Bihar police in December 2024, is continuing with its investigation.
Notably, a special court of NIA on February 11 sentenced two accused to imprisonment and fine in another case related to smuggling of FICNs, involving Bangladeshi and Nepalese nationals.
The two accused Md. Mumtaz and Md. Baitullah, both hailing from Bihar were awarded 7 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 8000. The special court convicted the accused under sections 489B, 489C, 120B of IPC and Sections 16 & 18 of UA (P) Act, the release said.
The case relates to the seizure of FICN having a total face value of Rs 1,90,500, in denominations of Rs 2000 and Rs 500, from Md. Mumtaz at Sarkari Bus Stand, Purnea, Bihar, on December 3, 2019.
(With inputs from agencies)
