Counterfeiter sentenced to 10 year jail term

GANGTOK, 11 March: Sikkim received its first conviction in a case concerning possession and printing of counterfeit currency notes when one of the three persons accused, Youhana Hang Subba, was convicted of the charges and sentenced by the Sessions Judge on 14 February, 2012. The conviction comes nearly 10 years since the accused was arrested. Youhana Hang Subba, who also has other criminal cases pending against him, was sentenced to a ten year jail term by the Sessions Judge, Special Division - I, Gangtok.
The accused has also been convicted for counterfeiting currency notes and possession of forged notes with the intention to use them as genuine. These charges have led to a sentence of 7 years and finally his conviction on charges of possessing “instruments or materials for forging or making counterfeit currency notes” carries a seven year imprisonment as well. All sentences are to run concurrently.
The case dates almost a decade back to December 2003 when a CID team led by DSP Nedup Wangdi raided a residence at Joredhara, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, and confiscated counterfeits amounting to Rs. 4.30 lakh. The cache was in various denominations and also seized from the spot were “tools”, which included photo copier, scanner, the Gandhi water mark, security block etc.  being used for the manufacture of counterfeits.
The CID had arrested 3 persons, two of whom have been acquitted by the court for lack of sufficient evidence of their involvement. One is a resident of Jalpaiguri and the other a resident of Baluwakhani, Gangtok.
While it has taken almost 10 years for the lone conviction to come through, it is still a boost for the law enforcement agencies here which have been grappling with the proliferation of counterfeit currency notes in the State for the past few years. Just recently, an A Grade government contractor had been arrested by the CID  in Namchi and charged with possession of counterfeit currency notes. He was later released on bail.
Even Chief Minister Pawan Chamling had noted during the recent Police Science Congress that proliferation of fake currency along with financial scams were a worrying trend in the state.
The Sessions Judge, while convicting Youhana Hang Subba, has noted that such offences not only affect one’s immediate society but is totally against the interest of the nation. The sentence of 10 years, which is the maximum under the relevant section of the IPC has been announced  by the court “… bearing in mind the magnitude of the consequence of a crime of this nature and the mindset and total lack of morality on the part of the accused individual”.
The period of detention, about 3 months, already undergone is to be set off against the period of imprisonment announced by the court.

RBI conducts training on fake Indian currency notes and NBFCs for Sikkim Police

GANGTOK, 07 Feb: Reserve Bank of India, Gangtok conducted training-cum- awareness programme on “Fake Indian Currency notes and Non Banking Finance Companies” for the Officers of Sikkim Police today.
A press release informs that the programme was intended to impart knowledge on detection and proper ways of disposal of Fake Indian Currency notes and give vital inputs about Non Banking Finance Companies by experts from Reserve Bank of India.
While inaugurating the workshop at Royal Plaza, GM/O-i-C, RBI Gangtok, EE Karthak, mentioned that with the recent seizure of fake notes to the tune of Rs 2.25 Crore in New Delhi, it has been understood that the counterfeiters have achieved a ‘zero-error counterfeiting capability’, with all the features in a genuine Indian currency note being present in these counterfeit notes. It took the experts long hours to identify each note. The seized notes have all the basic security features of Indian Currency notes namely Micro printing-used by RBI to combat counterfeiting, Gandhi watermark, Security thread, 100% cotton paper, embossing by insertion of Intaglio images and electro yet watermark. These counterfeits are smuggled from Pakistan via Jammu to India to fund terror operations. The alternative routes for trafficking of the counterfeits are the porous borders of Nepal, Bangladesh and the sea. Nationwide raids by the National Investigating Agency has led to arrests of 14 people smashing an international racket involving the smuggling and distribution of Fake Indian Currency notes by Pakistani agents through their Indian operatives.
The release mentions that he further stated that a lot of private finance companies, namely Bharosa, Stock Guru (now curbed) etc have been collecting deposits from the general public with the promise of very lucrative returns. These Non Banking Finance Companies have been luring gullible investors under the pretext of being deposit taking NBFCs as licensed by the Reserve Bank of India. The investors in such companies often find themselves as victims of financial frauds who under normal recourse approach police officials. In the light of such activities it becomes important to equip the Sikkim Police Officers with an understanding of Non Banking Financial Companies so that such malpractices are curbed with immediate effect.
Speaking to the participating officers, IPS, IGP, Sikkim Armed Police, Akshaye Sachdeva highlighted the vital role the Sikkim Police has played in nabbing fraudulent NBFCs namely Bharosa, Teena Finserv and Stock Guru etc. He also indicated the problems faced by the Sikkim Police in distinguishing the legitimate areas of operations of the NBFCs. He highlighted the issue of public dilemma in registering complaints against these companies in hopes of getting the promised returns. He also commended the pro active policing undertaken by the police in registering suo moto cases against these fraudulent NBFCs in the past, the release further mentions.
The guest faculty from RBI Kolkata namely DGM, Department on Non Banking Supervision, Kishore Pariyar and AGM, Issue Department, SN Mitra, gave specialized input for the functioning of NBFCs and the features of Genuine Indian Currency notes respectively, the release adds.

Contractor makes bail in counterfeit currency case

GANGTOK, 23 Jan: Roshan Agarwal, arrested by the Sikkim Crime Branch on charges of possessing counterfeit currency, was released on bail today, two days after his arrest. The class-A contractor had filed an application for bail which came up for hearing at the East District Courts today. It is informed that the court granted him bail on the condition that he does not leave Namchi town [where the case is booked]; furthermore he is to report to the investigating officer at the Namchi Thana as and when required.
The accused has been booked by the CID on charges of possessing counterfeit currency and of trying to use fake currency as genuine while knowing it to be fake. He was arrested on Saturday following which he developed medical complications and was admitted at the Namchi hospital. He was later shifted to the STNM Hospital, Gangtok. He was reported to be suffering from anxiety.
The Crime Branch had been tipped off by sources that Roshan Agarwal had deposited some fake currency notes at a bank in Namchi; here, it is informed, that the police recovered fake notes worth Rs. 22,000. The CID had been tipped off by its sources on the ‘circulation’ of such fake Indian currency notes and had got into action and made the arrest. The accused is facing charges under 489 B and 489 C of the Indian Penal Code. The case is under investigation.

A-grade contractor in counterfeit muddle

NAMCHI, 22 Jan: An A-grade government contractor was arrested yesterday by the Crime Branch, Sikkim Police, on charges of possession and use of fake currency notes. The contractor, Roshan Agarwal, was picked up at Namchi by the CID police and interrogated in the Namchi police station following which he was put under arrest.
However, soon after being arrested, the accused developed medical complications and was taken to the Namchi hospital. From there, he was shifted to the STNM Hospital, Gangtok under policy custody. He was reported to be suffering from anxiety.
The Crime Branch had been tipped off by sources that Roshan Agarwal had attempted to deposit counterfeits at a bank in Namchi. These were detected and rejected, it is learnt. The cops recovered fake notes worth Rs.22,000 from the bank, it is informed.
Sources inform that when the concerned bank official came to know that the notes deposited by Roshan Agarwal were counterfeits the latter was immediately contacted instead of the police. This, is learnt, took place a few days ago.
Sources further inform that the accused claimed to have received the counterfeits in a casino in Nepal. It may be mentioned here that all transactions in casinos in Nepal are in Indian rupees.
While the CID has confiscated the counterfeits from the bank they have to unearth and plug several loose ends of the case. The bank officials, police sources state, should have reported the matter but did not.
The CID has charged Roshan Agarwal for possessing and using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency notes knowing that they are counterfeit notes. These are charges under 489 B and 489 C of the Indian Penal Code. The case is under investigation at present.