NIA files 3rd supplementary charge sheet against kingpin in fake currency case

New Delhi, July 5 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed its third supplementary charge sheet in the terrorist conspiracy case relating to seizure of high-quality fake Indian currency notes (FICN) from East Champaran in Bihar. The case has links to Nepal and Bangladesh.

The charge sheet was filed against Sudhir Kushwaha, the kingpin of the racket, before a special NIA court in Patna.

NIA investigations have revealed that Kushwaha was the key conspirator of the FICN racket and had played a crucial role in the entire conspiracy.

He had formed a gang with the co-accused persons to commit terrorist acts, and had used the territory of India and Nepal for procurement, smuggling, and circulation of FICN to damage the monetary stability and economic security of India. He was arrested in January this year.

The conspiracy came to light on September 19, 2015 following the seizure of fake currency notes of face value of Rs 5,94,000 from accused Afroz Ansari by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Motihari, East Champaran.

The accused was carrying the fake currency consignment to Raxaul near the India-Nepal border for further delivery in that country.

DRI Patna had initially registered the case, which was taken over by the NIA and re-registered on December 23, 2015.

Investigations led to the arrest of seven persons, who were earlier chargesheeted between July 2016 and March 2019.

Four of these accused, Afroz Ansari, Sunny Kumar alias Kabir Khan, Ashraful Alam and Alomgir Seikh, were earlier convicted and sentenced to life in the case by the court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on each of them.