SBI manager is an undercover police agent

Aizawl, Nov 14: Police have clarified that the 'Mamit branch SBI manager' arrested in counterfeit currency racket a few days back, was an undercover police officer posted at the bank to keep a closer watch on the bank's operations.

''We had one of our officers posed as the bank manager. After interrogating him, we hope to obtain a confession from the suspects,'' Mamit SP Neihchungnunga told reporters here today.

The police officer stated that they had been keeping a close watch on counterfeit currencies, which they believe came from Bangladesh through neighbouring Tripura since the past two months.

''We arrested a Myanmarese national with fake notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denominations, amounting to Rs 107,000, two months back and arrested two others shortly after,'' the SP said.

''We were still looking for a few more suspects and the whole racket is yet to be busted,'' the police official informed.

Earlier reports had stated that the Mizoram and Tripura police had launched a joint raid and arrested the six people on Friday and Saturday from Mamit district of Mizoram and North Tripura district, including the SBI manager Nikkilal Sangliana, with fake (Indian) currency worth Rs 196,000 of Rs 100 denomination.

''Since Tripura could either be the route or the centre (of the racket), we have only informed the Tripura police,'' the police officer told the press.

UNI