A landmark ruling from the NIA’s Visakhapatnam court has dismantled a key fake Indian currency network, sentencing seven smugglers to lengthy imprisonments. Stemming from a 2015 interception, the case exposes a dangerous plot to flood India with superior-quality counterfeits smuggled from Bangladesh, targeting the nation’s financial backbone.
The accused, spanning Assam, West Bengal, and Karnataka, are Saddam Hussain (Barpeta), Rostam and Mohammad Hakim Sheikh (Malda), Amirul Haq (Barpeta), Saddam Hussain (Bengaluru), Syed Imran (Mandya), and Mohammad Akbar Ali (Kamrup). Their scheme involved trafficking notes across porous borders for circulation, as uncovered by meticulous NIA investigations.
Breaking down the penalties: Barpeta’s Saddam Hussain, arrested by DRI with Rs 5.015 million in fakes, got 10 years RI under UAPA 16 plus Rs 5,000 fine. Amirul Haq faces identical under Section 18, with extra time for non-payment. Rostam (7 years, Section 20), Hakim Sheikh (8 years, Section 18), Bengaluru Saddam (7 years), Imran (7 years, prior convict), and Akbar Ali (7 years) all carry Rs 2,000-5,000 fines with default extensions.
From DRI’s 2015 action to NIA’s charge sheets in 2016-2019, the prosecution built an ironclad case. This verdict reinforces judicial resolve against economic terrorism, ensuring that those plotting to destabilize India through fake notes face severe repercussions, safeguarding public trust in the currency system.