STF nabs 2, seizes FICN worth Rs 3.46L

Kolkata: Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police nabbed two Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racketeers near Shaheed Minar on Tuesday evening. During search, police seized 692 notes of Rs 500 denomination from them.

The accused persons were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at Bankshall Court on Wednesday and have been remanded to police custody till February 4.

According to police, on Tuesday STF officials were tipped-off about a consignment of FICN set to arrive in Esplanade area. Acting on the tip, STF personnel were keeping a strict vigil in the area.

At around 6:10 pm, police sources pointed out two persons identified as Senaul Sheikh alias Sanaul and Akramul of Kaliachak in Malda with a bag, following which police intercepted them on Indira Gandhi Sarani near Shaheed Minar.

During search of the bag, nothing suspicious was found and when the duo was about to be released, one of the STF personnel noticed something odd with the sweater which Akramul was wearing.

When he was asked to take off the sweater, Akramul reportedly became nervous and denied to follow the instruction by the police. Later, STF officials forced him to take the sweater off and after searching it, found a huge amount of money inside secret pockets.

During preliminary questioning, the duo claimed that the money belonged to them. But they could not provide satisfactory answers to police about why they were carrying such a huge amount of money.

A few minutes later, the duo was detained and taken to STF police station in Lalbazar. Police examined the notes and found them to be fake. After counting it, investigators came to know that the duo was carrying 692 notes of Rs 500 denomination worth Rs 3.46 lakh.

During interrogation, the duo reportedly stated that they had procured

the FICN from Malda and came to the

city to hand over the notes to someone. Police are trying to find out the person who was about to receive the FICN consignment.