Fake note circulation on the rise in south India
Visakhapatnam: The influx of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) from Bangladesh and Pakistan to some parts of south India through train route from West Bengal is on the rise. In many cases, the investigation ended up with the arrest of some transporters, but the kingpin is still scot-free.
The fake note racketeers selected the train route as it is the safest way to transport the fake notes from West Bengal to other parts of the southern region.
The latest seizure of fake currency of face value Rs 10.2 lakh and arrest of two smugglers, both residents of Karnataka state, in a train near Visakapatnam by DRI officials is a clear indication that smuggling of FICN may increase ahead of Karnataka elections in May, next month and general elections in 2019.
The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, has undertaken and the find the FICN in circulation under the overall supervision of National Investigation Agency (NIA).
A total of 2,81,839 fakes notes worth Rs 15.92 crore were seized in 2016, according to the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2016. After Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh stood at the fourth position in the country and top in the southern region in terms of seizure of FICN. Of the Rs 15.92 crore FICN seized, Rs 92,80,000 FICN were recovered in the state with the arrest of 114 smugglers in 49 cases.
According to DRI officials, in almost all the FICN cases registered within the country, the seized FICN were either printed in Pakistan or Bangladesh. The officials have been suspecting that these fake notes were pumped into South India through the Indo-Bangladesh border. A majority of FICN were routed to Andhra Pradesh and other states through Bangladesh via air, train and also sea routes.
Speaking to The Hans India, DCP (Law and Order) T Ravi Kumar Murthy said that the FICN almost resembled the original Indian currency and it is very difficult to identify the FICN with the naked eye. Pakistan has been pumping the FICN to India via Bangladesh and West Bengal by recruiting some key agents in Malda and Murshidabad in West Bengal.
The counterfeit money has seeped into towns like Hindupur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Eluru and also into the rural agency areas in Visakhapatnam. With limited resources it has become very difficult to nab the main culprits running the FICN racket as they stay in border areas of Bangladesh.
In the aftermath of demonetisation, the Reserve Bank of India had introduced Rs 2000 notes with about 17 security features to prevent counterfeiting, but this has not deterred the tech-savvy gangs in stopping the FICN racket.
By Phani Suni