An NIA court has delivered its verdict on a significant counterfeit currency case, sentencing two men to rigorous imprisonment for their roles in the circulation of fake Indian currency notes (FICNs). Asim Sarkar from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, received a seven-year sentence, while Aladu from Malda, West Bengal, was sentenced to five years. The court also imposed fines of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 on Sarkar and Aladu, respectively, with an additional three months of imprisonment if the fines are not paid.
The arrests stem from a 2019 operation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, which led to the seizure of 99 counterfeit notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000 and two Rs 500 notes, totaling a face value of Rs 1,99,000, from Sarkar. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case in October 2019, leading to the subsequent arrests of Aladu and another accomplice, Faijul Sk, who is already serving a five-year sentence.
Both Sarkar and Aladu were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, highlighting their involvement in a criminal conspiracy to procure and circulate the counterfeit notes for unlawful gain.
