NIA Raids Three States in Probe of Nepal-Linked Fake Currency Racket

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches across multiple locations in three states on Wednesday as part of an investigation into a fake Indian currency racket linked to Nepal, according to an official statement.

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These searches were conducted in connection with a case registered last year, involving the seizure of high-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) in Bihar.

Search Operations in Bijar, J-K, and Telangana

The NIA reported that thorough searches were conducted at five locations in Bihar and one location each in Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana as part of an investigation into a counterfeit currency racket. The operation was allegedly run by the accused and suspects from Nepal, utilizing cryptocurrency. "NIA teams conducted searches at the premises of the suspects in Patna, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur and Motihari districts of Bihar, Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, and in Hyderabad, Telangana," it said.

"Cash amounting to Rs 1,49,400, along with digital devices including pen drives, mobile phones, SIM cards etc., was seized during the searches. The team also recovered several incriminating documents," the statement said.

What is the case?

The case involves the seizure of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) valued at Rs 1.95 lakh from three individuals—Md Nazar Saddam (Bhagalpur), Md Waris (Bhojpur), and Zakir Hussain (Patna).

The trio was apprehended by local police on September 5, 2024. Later, another accused, Muzaffar Ahmad Wani, also known as Sarfaraz, was arrested in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir.

In December 2024, the NIA took over the investigation from Bihar Police and is continuing its probe.

(This Article was originally published by India TV)