A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested one Akbar Ali from Katahbari area in Guwahati, on charges of being involved in running a fake currency racket in Bengaluru.
According to media reports, Ali carried a bounty of Rs 25,000 on his head.
As per a report published on Friday by Business Standard the arrest was made in accordance with a case related to seizure of high quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) worth Rs. 5,01,500 from the possession of one Saddam Hossain at Visakhapatnam way back in September 2015.
The report also stated that during investigation, it came to light that Saddam Hossain had travelled to Malda in West Bengal from Bengaluru on the instructions of one Amirul Hoque and collected high-quality quality FICN from one Roustam on four occasions in 2015 and was a part of a larger group of people who are involved in smuggling of high quality FICN from across the international borders and circulating it in Bengaluru.
During the investigation, it also came to light that Akbar Ali went to Bengaluru from Assam in 2007 and was working in a florist shop. Ali was introduced in the FICN network by his uncle, Hakim.
Akbar Ali after being booked had been absconding for several years and according to reports, he was instrumental in forming a gang in Bengaluru which was involved in trafficking and circulating fake currency notes.
The report also stated NIA has revealed that Akbar Ali was part of a larger conspiracy along with other accused mostly based at Malda in West Bengal in smuggling of 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, the report stated.
During the period of investigation, the names of other members of the inter-State gang and their associates from Malda and Bengaluru also came to light. The investigation against all the accused has been going on.
Akbar Ali, who was produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M) on Thursday for obtaining transit remand, has been scheduled to be taken to Vijayawada and produced before a special NIA Court.
The report also stated that the Hyderabad division of the NIA filed chargesheets against Saddam Hossain and Amirul Hoque in 2016, and against Roustam and Hakim in July, 2018.