Two members of international FICN racket arrested

• Total FICN of Rs. 03 lacs recovered.
• FICN is being suspectedly routed in India from Pakistan through Bangladesh.
• Three Mobile handsets with SIM cards used in FICN smuggling recovered.
• Members of the syndicate were active in Delhi, UP, Bihar and West Bengal.

A team of Special Cell/NR led by Insp. Attar Singh and supervised by Sh. Nishant Gupta, ACP/Special Cell/NR has arrested two members of an international FICN racket. The arrested persons are (1) Neetu @ Radha (aged-34 years) w/o Ravinder Singh r/o Saeed Nagar, Ghaziabad, UP, (2) Salim Sheikh (age-23 years) s/o Afsar Ali r/o Village Joyenpur, PS Basnaam Nagar, Distt. Malda, West Bengal. High quality Fake Indian Currency Notes amounting Rs. 03 lacs in denomination of 1000 have been recovered from the possession of both the arrested persons. A case vide FIR No. 55/16 dated 02/10/2016 u/s 489-B/489-C IPC PS Special Cell has been registered in this regard.

OPERATION

Inspr. Attar Singh of Special Cell/NR was having information about illegal activities of indulging in FICN circulation by the members of this syndicate for last 04 months. Secret surveillance was kept upon movements of members of this syndicate. Requisite intelligence in this regard was collected. Secret sources were deployed to gather more information in this regard. During surveillance, it was revealed that FICN is being pumped into Malda, West Bengal (India) by Pakistan through porous Indo-Bangla border. From Malda, it was being handed over to FICN racketeers in various parts of the country including Delhi, UP and Bihar. Painstaking efforts of more than four months have resulted in zeroing down the members of this syndicate.

On 02/10/2016, SI Sandeep who was deputed upon this operation received a tip off that Salim Sheikh, a resident of Malda, is a supplier of FICN and is likely to hand over big consignment of FICN to one Neetu @ Radha near DTC Bus Depot, Seemapuri, Delhi. A raiding party led by SI Sandeep and consisting of ASI Sanjay, HC Rituraj, HC Prahlad, HC Suresh, Ct. Davender, Ct. Parvez Alam, Ct. Sumer and others was formed. A trap was laid near DTC bus Depot, Seemapuri, Delhi where Salim Sheikh handed over a packet of Rs. 01 lac FICN to Neetu @ Radha. Soon, the raiding party swooped upon both and they were nabbed. Total FICN of Rs 03 lacs i.e. 02 lacs from Salim Sheikh and 01 lac from Neetu @ Radha were recovered.

INTERROGATION:

Both the arrested persons were thoroughly interrogated who disclosed that they were part of a big international FICN syndicate. Neetu @ Radha, a permanent resident of Jharkhand had come to Delhi 18 years ago after her marriage with Ravinder. She used to do work with a NGO involved in giving injections of Hepatitis-B. In the mean time she met with one Munna, a resident of Malda who used to indulge in supply of FICN, who lured her to step into illegal trade of circulating FICN. Munna was arrested in a similar case of FICN in Bihar about one year ago. Thereafter, Neetu @ Radha started taking supply of FICN from one Nasruddin of Malda. The other accused person, Salim Sheikh, is a carrier of Nasiruddin.

During interrogation, Neetu @ Radha told that she used to circulate said FICN in market and shopkeepers readily accept these note as these notes are of very high quality having all features of genuine Indian Currency notes. She has been receiving supply of FICN from Nasruddin through Salim Sheikh for about a year. Recovered currency notes have most of the security features and it’s very difficult to differentiate between fake and genuine notes with naked eyes. Both the arrested accused persons further told that all the new security features that Government introduces are quickly updated in fake currency notes also. During interrogation, Salim Sheikh told that the fake currency notes are being pushed into India by Pakistan through porous Indo-Bangla Border. He also told that exchange of fake currency through Nepal border is also a channel of pumping FICN in India.

 During investigation of this case and previous similar cases, it has been revealed that many Pakistan based elements are pumping FICN in India through Bangladesh border. This is being done to cripple the economy of the country. It is worth mentioning that Malda is very infamous in drug trafficking and smuggling of FICN. Malda has become an epicenter of illegal drug trade and a counterfeit currency racket because of its strategic location along the porous international border of India. It is suspected that Pak based Iqbal Kana and his associates are engaged in sending FICN in India through Nepal and Bangladesh border for last many years. His name has cropped up time and again with the arrest of FICN racketeers. It is suspected that a large portion of money derived from FICN goes into buying sophisticated weapons smuggled through the porous Bangladesh border. Investigation is also being conducted whether money raised from FICN is being diverted to promote terroristic activities in the country.

Further investigation of the case is in progress. Sincere efforts are being made to nab remaining members of this syndicate.

PROFILE OF ACCUSED PERSONS:

Salim Sheikh (age-23 years):- Salim Sheikh is resident of Malda, West Bengal, hub of FICN and Narcotic Drugs. He went to school upto 6th standard. His father has 06 bighas of agricultural land in Malda. Salim Sheikh has 03 brothers and 02 sisters. All his brothers are indulging in supply of FICN. Salim Sheikh was married about 04 years ago and he has 02 kids with this wedlock. Salim Sheikh is carrier of Nasruddin and he has been supplying FICN to Neetu @ Radha and others in Delhi for last one year. He usually comes to Delhi twice in a month to deliver consignment of heroin. He supplies FICN at the rate of Rs. 100 (FICN) in Rs. 50 (Genuine Currency), thus earning good profit.  

Neetu @ Radha (age-34 years):- Neetu @ Radha belongs to Distt. Girdih, Jharkhand. She went to school up to 8th standard. After getting married with Ravinder Singh about 18 years ago, she along with her husband came to Delhi. She has 03 kids between 12 to 17 years. She worked in small unit of shoe manufacturing for about 10 years. For about 05 years, she worked with an NGO involved in giving injections to prevent Hepatitis-B and she used to earn Rs. 10K per month. About 02 years ago, she came in contact with one Munna who lured her to step in the field of smuggling FICN. After the arrest of Munna, a year ago in case of FICN, she started receiving supply of FICN from Salim Sheikh who is carrier of Nasruddin. She used to push the FICN to gullible shopkeepers and other persons. She along with her family has been residing in Saeed Nagar, Ghaziabad, UP.