NIA charge sheets four in Pak-Nepal linked Champaran fake currency case

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet against four men in connection with the 2024 Champaran fake currency seizure case, which has revealed a cross-border syndicate with links to Pakistan and Nepal.

The charge sheet, filed before the NIA Special Court in Patna, names Md. Nazar Saddam, Md. Waris, Md. Zakir Hushain and Muzaffar Ahmad Wani alias Sarfaraz. They face charges under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The accused had earlier been charge sheeted by the local police in October 2024. According to the NIA, its investigation uncovered evidence showing that the accused were part of a racket smuggling high-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) from Nepal into India, with the objective of undermining the country’s financial stability.

The counterfeit notes were allegedly procured from Pakistan-based entities through Nepali handlers, with payments made via cryptocurrency channels to avoid detection. Investigators have alleged that Nazar Saddam, along with Waris and Zakir Hushain, played a direct role in bringing the FICN from Nepal into Indian territory.

Wani, on the other hand, is accused of financing the operation and providing the necessary logistics for the procurement and circulation of the fake currency inside India.

The case, registered as RC-17/2024/NIA-DLI, stems from the seizure of fake currency with a face value of Rs. 1.95 lakh in Champaran, Bihar.

The NIA took over the probe in December 2024 from the local police and produced the accused in court in January this year. The agency has stated that efforts are continuing to identify other members and facilitators connected to the network, both in India and abroad.

The fresh chargesheet underscores the NIA’s focus on dismantling transnational criminal networks that pose a threat to national security and economic integrity.

--IANS

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