STF nabs two with FICN worth Rs 2L

Kolkata: The anti-fake Indian currency note (FICN) team of Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two persons on Thursday night from near Lindsay Street and recovered FICN worth Rs 2 lakh.

According to sources, sleuths had recently arrested a FICN racketeer identified as Ashim Akram alias Wasim earlier this month, with a large amount of FICN. After Akram was taken into custody, sleuths interrogated him for information about the racket. During interrogation, Akram stated that two more FICN racketeers will soon arrive at the city to make a deal.

Based on the information, sleuths had activated their sources. On Thursday evening, police came to know from sources that the FICN racketeers have been seen in and around the New Market area.

Immediately, a team raided a place near Lindsay Street late on Thursday night and nabbed two persons identified as Md. Saleem and Shahbaz Ahamad Siddiqui of Nagpur.

During search, sleuths found 100 notes of Rs 2,000 denomination from their luggage. They have been booked under sections 489B (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes), 489C (possession of forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Earlier on June 17, based on a statement of another FICN racketeer identified as Salwar Hossain who was arrested on June 8, the STF had nabbed two Malda based FICN racketeers at around 6:15 am from Strand Road near Eastern Railway Cooperative Bank.

During search, sleuths had found 250 FICN of Rs 2,000 denomination from their bags. Police are trying to locate the masterminds behind the rackets. It is suspected that the two persons who were arrested on Thursday were FICN dealers in Maharashtra.