The counterfeit currency was printed in Pakistan and smuggled to Bangladesh to circulate in India
Nagpur: The Special Court of Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Nagpur convicted and sentenced four accused to 12 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) in a fake currency case. Counterfeit currency notes totalling around Rs 9.10 lakh were seized from the convicts by the ATS Nagpur in 2015 from Shalimar Express at Nagpur Railway Station.
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Tuesday 21 Jan. 2025
P Y Ladekar, Additional Sessions Judge-4 and Judge Special Court (ATS), Nagpur held the act of circulating counterfeit currency as the act of terror under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The convicts are identified as Sheikh Gaffar Sheikh Mussa, Sheikh Sattar Sheikh Mussa and Mohd Obedulla Sakir Ali, all residents of Ballarshah, Chandrapur; and Mir Anwarul Mir Hossain, a resident of Malda, West Bengal.
The prosecution stated in the court that the ATS Nagpur received information that Mir Anwarul, who deals in fake currency, would come to Nagpur by 18030 Shalimar Mumbai LTT Express on October 4, 2015. A trap was laid and Mir Anwarul was arrested with fake currency of Rs 9.10 lakh. A case was registered by the ATS against him. During investigation, the ATS officials arrested Sheikh Gaffar, Sheikh Sattar and Mohd Obedulla from Ballarshah, Chandrapur.
The prosecution told the court that Mir Anwarul was the prime accused in the case. The counterfeit currency was printed in Pakistan and smuggled to Bangladesh to circulate in India. During the trial, the prosecution produced a list of more than 70 offences of fake currency notes registered across India.
The ATS filed a 600 page-charge sheet in the court. The court examined 31 witnesses during the trial and none of them turned hostile. The prosecution proved the charges against the accused with help of seizure report, Currency Note Press Nashik’s report and handwriting reports of the accused persons. The prosecution established the links of Sheikh Gaffar, Sheikh Sattar and Mohd Obedulla with Mir Anwarul by producing their transaction details.
Mir Anwarul, who is the prime accused in the case, had received lakhs of rupees from the three accused persons to provide them counterfeit currency, the prosecution informed the court. Mir Anwarul, Sheikh Gaffar and Sheikh Sattar were convicted under Sections 489(b), 489(c), 120 (b) of Indian Penal Code and Sections 16 and 18 of UAPA.
The Court sentenced them to imprisonment of 12 years and imposed a fine of Rs 16 lakh each. Mohd Obedullah has been convicted under Sections 489 (b), 489 (c), 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 18 of UAPA. The Court sentenced him to 12 years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 15 lakh. Mir Anwarul was in custody from October 2015 while Sheikh Gaffar and Sheikh Sattar were in custody from November 2015. Mohd Obedulla has been in custody since April 2016. Their sentence will be set off against this period.
The case was investigated by the then ATS PI V D Mishra and currently supervised by ACP ATS Abhay Panhekar. Special Public Prosecutor for ATS Prashant Kumar Sathianathan, Adv Neh Nandini Singh and Adv Vedant Datey represented the State.
