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As drug net tightens, ISI and D-Syndicate push massive fake currency surge

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New Delhi, Dec 10: With the Indian agencies cracking down heavily on the narcotics trade, Intelligence Bureau officials have warned about an uptick in the smuggling of fake currency notes. In the past two weeks, several operations have been carried out in various parts of the country in which fake currency rackets have been busted.

The fake currency mafia is controlled by the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate, which is based in Pakistan. While the syndicate is trying to find newer routes and partners to further the narcotics trade, it is also stepping up operations relating to fake Indian currency. The ISI needs funds to resurrect its terror groups, which were largely beaten down during Operation Sindoor.

The fake currency racket had taken a slight backseat for some years, but now there are full-fledged plans to resume operations on a very large scale. Malda in West Bengal remains the main hub for this racket in India. Now with an unfriendly regime in place in Bangladesh, the ISI sees an opportunity to scale up operations.

All the fake currency that is being printed in Pakistan is first routed into Bangladesh. The ISI finds no problem in routing fake notes into Bangladesh, as Islamabad and Dhaka have close ties today. The sea route has been opened up, and the visa process is much simpler for Pakistanis, and this is being taken advantage of by the ISI.

From Bangladesh, the operatives push the fake currency into Malda, following which it is circulated across the country. Officials report that apart from West Bengal, mini modules have been set up in various parts of the country. The notes are transported either from Malda or Murshidabad in West Bengal to the rest of the country.

An official said there has been an increase in such cases, as the ISI and D-Syndicate are pushing it massively. There is a desperate need for funds as the ISI is not only trying to revive terror groups in Pakistan, but is also creating another front in Bangladesh. It wants to engage India on both fronts, and hence the simultaneous push is being made, the official explained.

These gangs operating the racket in India have been coming up with various ways to push fake notes into the market. In Gujarat, a gang that was running a money-doubling scam was busted. It was found that victims were lured into the scheme, and they were given fake Indian currency. This gang was operating mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra, the probe has revealed.

While the Bangladesh-West Bengal route is the primary one for this racket, there is also a fresh push to smuggle these notes through the UAE into Kerala. Over the years, Kasargod in Kerala has become a major hub for smuggling fake currency notes.

M.B. Moosa, Abdul Rahman, K.M. Hamza, Kallatra Abdul Ha Khader Haji, Irabhim Soopi, K.S. Abdullah, and Kadavath Atta are the ones who have been running this racket. The notes from Pakistan would reach these persons through the UAE route.

Officials say that the Kerala route is one of the hardest to control. There is a huge rush at the airports owing to the number of people visiting the Gulf nations. The ISI has taken advantage of the stress on the security mechanism at these airports in Kerala. Most of the time, these persons get away because the customs formations are understaffed. This makes checking everyone difficult.

Further, the detection has also become very difficult owing to the quality of the notes that are being printed. An Intelligence Bureau official said that the notes are printed in government printing presses in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Multan, and Peshawar. These are the same places where the official Pakistani Rupee is also printed. Hence, the quality of the Indian notes being printed in Pakistan is of very superior quality, and this is making detection a challenge, the officer explained.

The gravity of the problem in India, courtesy this fresh push by Dawood and the ISI, can be seen in a report published by the US State Department. “India faces an increasing inflow of high-quality counterfeit currency, which is produced primarily in Pakistan but smuggled to India through multiple international routes. Criminal networks exchange counterfeit currency for genuine notes, which not only facilitates money laundering but also represents a threat to the Indian economy,” the report says.

Crime

Mumbai Crime: Man Who Molested 17-Year-Old Girl In Metro Lift At Kandivali Dahanukar Wadi Station Arrested From Express Train Heading To West Bengal

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Mumbai: In a breakthrough, a 44-year-old man was arrested days after molesting a 17-year-old girl inside a Metro lift at Dhanukarwadi Station in Kandivali.

The accused, identified as Doni Sarkar, had fled the city following the incident. He was caught by the team of Kandivali Police from the Gitanjali Express, which was heading to West Bengal’s Howrah Junction.

the accused was nabbed when the train halted at the Raipur Junction in Chhattisgarh, who was reportedly fleeing to his hometown in West Bengal.

The incident took place on May 29 at around 11.50 am, when the girl was allegedly molested inside a lift at the Dahanukarwadi Metro station on the Yellow Line. According to an HT report, the accused was already present inside the lift, and after seeing the girl entering the lift alone, he allegedly molested her as the doors shut by touching her inappropriately.

Terrified by the incident, the girl had first approached the metro staff for help and then later approached the police station, after which a case was registered.

The incident was also confirmed by the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) officials, who assured to provide all possible help to the police in the case. Additionally, the officials had also handed the CCTV footage to the police.

Meanwhile, in another recent case, a case under POSCO has been registered against a 40-year-old man who has been allegedly accused of showing pornographic films and molesting a 13-year-old boy in Mumbai’s Agripada area. The shocking incident took place at the Classic Tower residential society located in the Agripada locality. The matter came to light after the traumatised minor confided in his family members about the ordeal, and a case was registered.

Earlier in May, a case of alleged molestation was registered against a BMC officer after a woman employee accused him of misbehaving with her inside the civic body headquarters.

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Crime

Mumbai: Gutkha Worth ₹3.25 Lakh Seized From Special Train At Vasai Road; 2 Held

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Mumbai: In a major crackdown on the illegal transportation of banned tobacco products through railway premises, the Western Railway Vigilance Team seized gutkha, tobacco and pan masala products worth over Rs 3.25 lakh from a train at Vasai Road railway station and apprehended two persons involved in the operation.

The seizure was made during a vigilance check conducted in Train No. 06282 Mysuru Special Fare Express at Vasai Road railway station (BSR) on June 2. The operation was carried out jointly by the Western Railway Vigilance Team along with personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and commercial department officials.

During the inspection of the SLRD coach, railway authorities detected the illegal transportation of tobacco, pan masala and gutka products packed in multiple bags. Two individuals, identified as Rohit Mishra and Pankaj Sahu, were found allegedly transporting the contraband.

Officials recovered a total of 1,771 packets of tobacco and gutka products belonging to various brands from eight PVC bags. The seized consignment was valued at approximately Rs 3,25,678 based on the maximum retail price (MRP).

According to railway officials, both accused were travelling without valid tickets or journey authority. Following the recovery, a detailed panchnama and inventory of the seized material were prepared at Vasai Road station in the presence of independent witnesses and railway officials.

The recovered goods, along with the apprehended individuals and relevant documents, were subsequently handed over to the Government Railway Police for further investigation and legal action.

Based on the complaint and evidence collected during the operation, the accused were booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Railways Act, 1989.

An FIR (No. 0245) was registered on June 3, 2026. The charges include Sections 223, 275 and 3(5) of the BNS, Sections 30(2)(a), 58 and 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, and Sections 147, 155 and 162 of the Railways Act. Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Module busted by Delhi Police reveals Dawood still operating from Clifton Road, Karachi

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New Delhi, June 2: The Special Cell of the Delhi Police busted a major terror module being run by the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. The terror module was planning on carrying out attacks in Delhi and Mumbai, said the police following the arrests of the eight people. During the questioning of the accused, one interesting point that came up is that Clifton Road in Karachi continues to remain a safe house of notorious underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim.

The accused told the police that they mainly interacted with a key aide of Dawood Ibrahim Muddasar Hussain Sayyed, alias Munna Jhingada.

An official said that the very fact that the operation was being handled from Clifton Road area makes it clear that Dawood Ibrahim is residing out there.

This is his most well-known address and the ISI keeps him there are it is his safest bet.

Dawood has many other addresses in Pakistan, but for major operations, he operates from Karachi as this is the safest place for him to be in Pakistan.

The official said that Dawood has five addresses, all in Karachi. While the main one is at Clifton, near the Saudi Mosque in Karachi, the others are the Defence Housing Authority, the Noorbad area and the 617 CP Berar Society. In fact he has two addresses in Clifton itself, the official explained.

Another official said the probe into the busting of the recent module reveals that all Dawood’s close aides reside around him. The drug operations or terror modules being set up are all monitored from the Clifton area, near the Saudi Mosque in Karachi, the official further explained.

Post ‘Operation Sindoor’, there were reports about Dawood Ibrahim being shifted out. An Intelligence Bureau official said that he was moved around the five addresses briefly to avoid being hit by the Indian armed forces.

However, once the heat was down, he was back at his Clifton address, the official added.

Officials also say that the location is strategic and also safe. It is the ISI’s regional directorate in Karachi which oversees his protection.

Although the ISI’s national headquarter is based in Islamabad, Karachi houses a massive ISI Regional Directorate (Field Office).

The probe by the Delhi Police also revealed that several ISI officials were part of the planning. They would regularly meet with Jhingada and give him instructions on how to go about the attacks in India.

Investigators have found that the primary targets of the module were Delhi and Mumbai. They were planning on carrying out attacks in other cities depending on the success of the first wave of attacks, investigations have found.

Jhingada established the command centre near Dawood’s residence. This centre was being fully monitored by the ISI officials. They not only ensured that operations ran smoothly, but also heavily guarded the premises, an official said.

The accused persons said that Jhingada along with his associates monitored every aspect, right from recruitment to procurement of arms.

The Dawood Syndicate had earmarked Rs 20 lakh for the module after the successful completion of the project.

Officials say that they were not being treated as run of the mill terror operatives. This was more of a hit job that the ISI wanted to undertake and this explains why the agency wanted the underworld to be involved.

The probe further revealed that the ISI even ensured that the weapons reach India safely.

Jhingada, with the help of the ISI operatives, managed to drop off hand grenades in Gurdaspur Punjab.

The Delhi Police had seized a large cache of weapons and hand grenades during their operation. The idea was to hurl grenades at important locations, the probe found.

Such an operation is not only easy to execute, but it is also cost effective, an official said.

The accused persons had even asked about their exit plan once the attacks were executed. Jhingada assured them a safe passage into Nepal, following which they would be flown to Dubai.

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