FICN kingpin arrested by NIA in Guwahati

Identified as Md Akbar Ali, the arrested individual would collect the notes across the international border and circulate it in Bengaluru.

According to the reports, an NIA team from Hyderabad on Thursday arrested Ali alias Md Akbar alias Akbar Ali, son of. Late Buddus Ali, a resident of Ghoraimari Pathar, Hahchuri, Chhayagaon in Assam’s Kamrup district from Katabari area near Bharalopar Fatasha under Gorchuk police station in Guwahati.

Police said he is a kingpin of the FICN network in the country.

Akbar Ali was absconding and a reward of Rs 25,000 was earlier announced by NIA for his arrest in connection with the case no RC 02/15/NIA/HYD (FICN Vizag case).

A top official of NIA said that the case relates to seizure of High Quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) of face value of Rs 5,01,500 from the possession of one Saddam Hossain in September, 2015 at Visakhapatnam.

“During investigation it was revealed that accused Saddam Hossain had travelled to Malda in West Bengal from Bangalore on the instructions of Amirul Hoque and collected high quality FICN from Roustam on four occasions in the year 2015 and was part of a larger group of persons involved in smuggling of high quality FICN from across the international borders and circulating it in Bengaluru," the NIA officer said.

"Investigation revealed that Akbar Ali had come to Bangalore from Assam in the year 2007 and was working in a florist shop. He was introduced into the FICN business by Hakim who is known to the uncle of Akbar Ali. Akbar Ali was first arrested in Electronic City PS FIR No.259/2014 dated 20/7/2014 under section 489C, 420 read with 34 IPC and was also involved in HAL PS Bangalore FIR No.279/2015 on April 8, 2015 under sections 489B and 489C of IPC.

"He had been absconding since then. Akbar Ali was instrumental in forming a gang at Bangalore which was involved in trafficking and circulating the high quality FICN. He was a part of a larger conspiracy along with other accused persons mostly based in Malda, West Bengal in smuggling high quality FICN from across the international border with an intention to threaten the monetary stability of India.

"The proceeds from circulation of FICN were deposited into the bank accounts of accused persons and their associates based at Malda. During investigation, names of other members of the interstate gang and their associates from Malda and Bengaluru have come to light and further investigation against them is going on,” the NIA official said.

NIA had produced Akbar Ali before the CJM Court, Guwahati on Thursday and obtained transit remand.

He will be produced before the Special NIA Court in Vijayawada.

NIA had already filed charge sheets against Saddam Hossain, Amirul Hoque, Roustam and Hakim.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)