Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 13: Santosh alias Cable Santu, a veteran rowdy-sheeter, who is facing a number of cases including circulation of fake currency notes, was sentenced by the fast track court here to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment. Santu, a resident of Salmara in Karkala, has been sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment under Indian Penal Code section 489B (circulating fake currency), with a fine of Rs 10,000, and three more years of rigorous imprisonment under section 120B (criminal conspiracy). Failing payment of fine, he has been ordered to spend three more months behind the bars.

The policemen of Kavoor station in the city had busted a racket involving circulation of fake currency notes in 2008. Mohammed Shabbir, Mayyaddi, and Mohammed Asif had been arrested in the case. Fake currency notes worth about two lac rupees had been recovered from their possession. Cable Santu, who allegedly was supplying these counterfeit notes to the accused, hid himself in a foreign country and evaded arrest.  He was arrested by the policemen at Kochi international airport, when he landed there about 18 months back, and was handed him over to the policemen here. Santu therefore, has already completed 18 months of jail term.

Judge of the fast track court, Lingana Gowda Jantli, after conducting the final hearing in the case on Friday, pronounced the judgment, sentencing Santu to 13 years of jail term. Public prosecutor, Taranahalli, appeared in the court on behalf of the prosecution. Santu has been charged with sending fake currency notes from his base in a foreign country, by packing them in tea powder packing, with the aim of hoodwinking the authorities, while Shabbir and Mayyaddi circulated the notes here.

In the said case, Mohammed Shabbir and Mayyaddi were sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment each in the past. Mohammed Asif is a free man now, as he has already completed his jail term.