Lucknow: The UP ATS has arrested a person from West Bengal’s Malda in connection with a cross-border fake Indian currency note (FICN) smuggling racket that sourced counterfeit currency from Bangladesh and routed it through Bengal for circulation in Uttar Pradesh and other states. The accused, Zakir of Malda district, had been absconding since a 2024 seizure of fake currency in Varanasi and carried a bounty of Rs 25,000.According to the ATS, intelligence inputs revealed that a network of traffickers was supplying counterfeit Indian currency allegedly printed in Bangladesh to Uttar Pradesh and other states through smugglers based in Bengal. The agency developed the case through electronic and physical surveillance, enabling investigators to identify the syndicate’s supply chain.The investigation had earlier led to the arrest of Mohammad Suleman Ansari, a resident of Vaishali in Bihar, and his associate Idrish, also from the same district, after they were intercepted in Varanasi on Nov 19, 2024, with counterfeit Indian currency having a face value of Rs 2 lakh. A case was subsequently registered at Sarnath police station, and both accused were sent to jail.During interrogation, the two allegedly disclosed that the counterfeit currency had been supplied by Zakir, a resident of Thakur Das Mandalpara in the Vaishnavnagar police station area of Malda, West Bengal.Investigators alleged that the fake currency was smuggled into India from Bangladesh by one Rafiqul, after which Zakir distributed it through Suleman, Idrish and other associates for circulation across different states.Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, Zakir was named as a wanted accused in the case. UP Police had announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest.The UP ATS has brought him to Varanasi for further interrogation and legal proceedings.Officials said the agency is questioning the accused to identify other members of the counterfeit currency syndicate and trace the wider cross-border network involved in smuggling and circulating fake Indian currency. Further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation, the ATS said.
