The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against Abdul Gaffar, alias Gaffarbhai, in connection with the 2019 Surat Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) case. Gaffar, a resident of Katihar, Bihar, is accused of being part of a criminal conspiracy to circulate counterfeit currency in Gujarat.
Gaffar, who had been evading arrest since 2019, was apprehended in Ahmedabad on February 22, 2024. The NIA reported that he had previously worked as an agent for various fake currency smugglers and had a history of involvement in counterfeit currency trafficking. In 2015, he was convicted and sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment by an Economic Offences Court in Muzaffarpur for a similar offense. After his release, he became involved in the current case.
**Background of the Case:**
In June 2019, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Surat arrested Vinod Nishad at the Surat Railway Station, seizing fake currency worth Rs. 2,00,000 in Rs. 2,000 denominations. Subsequently, Mahefuz Shaikh, the intended recipient of the counterfeit notes, was also arrested. Given the implications for national security, the case was transferred to the NIA.
In 2019, the NIA filed its initial chargesheet, leading to the conviction of Vinod Nishad and Mohammad Mahefuz Shaikh, who were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 each in 2022.
**Gaffar's Role:**
According to the NIA's investigation, Abdul Gaffar procured Rs. 2,00,000 worth of fake currency from an individual named Hafeez, also known as Malda, and sold it to Vinod Nishad for Rs. 88,000 in genuine currency. The counterfeit notes were then handed over to Mohammad Mahefuz Shaikh for circulation in Gujarat.
Efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend other individuals involved in the counterfeit currency network.
