Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (RJP)

Kasargod, Oct 8: It has been revealed that fake currency approximately worth a whopping Rs 600 crore have flooded into Kerala over the past six months.

As per a caution issued by National Investigation Agency (NIA) has about this fact recently, the fake notes come through the hawala traders and workers from other states. The notes which are printed in Pakistan are later sent to India via Nepal, Bangladesh, Dubai and Sri Lanka routes, NIA information has revealed.

It is believed that Kerala has seen an inflow of Rs 600 crore in fake currencies in the past six months alone. NIA has now cautioned financial institutions and intelligence agencies regarding this.

From June to August of this year, there has been an upsurge in the inflow of fake notes. Last June, fake notes of Rs 500 were found at a bank and later it was established that the notes had originated from Pakistan.

In July, two persons were caught with fake currency worth Rs 3,00,000. Further investigations revealed foreign hand in the case.

The NIA has been investigating the fake currency racket since the last few years. It had even taken the assistance of Interpol to arrest one of the prime accused, Haji Abdulla alias Abdul Rahiman from Dubai in June last year. On April 20, 2007 fake currency notes worth Rs 15 lac had been seized at Kozhikode airport, and in 2008, fake notes worth Rs 23 lac were seized in separate incidents from Kozhikode city. Five were arrested in the case, and the crime branch had established that Abdulla Haji was the kingpin in both the cases. On March 10, 2010, counterfeit notes worth Rs 24.16 lac were confiscated at Kochi international airport by the DRI. In 2012, counterfeit currency worth Rs 30 lac had passed through Mangalore airport, and Rs 1.89 lac in fake currency was seized during transaction at a jewellery store in Kanhangad. Several arrests were made in these cases, but the main accused, Moidin alias Moidu from Udupi, is still said to be absconding in Dubai.