NIA Court Sentences Four Individuals to Five Years of Imprisonment for Fake Currency Notes Possession

An NIA court sentenced four individuals to five years in prison for possessing counterfeit Indian currency. This marks the first conviction of 2025 for the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The case involved five arrests, with the court in Mumbai delivering the verdict on Wednesday. The official statement confirmed the sentences related to fake currency possession.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) initially registered the case in Nagpur on January 16, 2020. Authorities seized counterfeit notes valued at Rs 13,67,500 and arrested four suspects. The NIA took over the investigation on February 10, 2020, and filed charges against Lalu Khan, Mahesh Bagwan, Randheer Singh Thakur, and Ritesh Raghuwanshi on April 7, 2020.

Focus on Counterfeit Currency

One suspect, Sohrab Hosen from Malda, West Bengal, was initially listed as wanted in the charge sheet. Hosen was apprehended by the NIA on June 29, 2020. A supplementary charge sheet was filed against him on September 24 of that year. Investigations revealed Hosen's involvement in smuggling fake currency and Phensedyl syrup across the India-Bangladesh border.

Hosen passed away while in custody at Lucknow prison. Meanwhile, all other accused admitted guilt before the court. Consequently, they received a five-year sentence along with a fine of Rs 3,000 each. This case highlights ongoing efforts to combat counterfeit currency operations.