Nandita Sarkar, Dhubri, February 02, 2024: The Dhubri Court’s District and Sessions Judge rendered an astounding ruling, sentencing one Bangladeshi national to rigorous imprisonment for five years and fined Rs 10,000 apiece for possessing Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and mandated that he serve six months in regular jail if he disobeyed.
The Bangladeshi national identified as Umar Farook, a 26-year-old resident of Kurigram district, was arrested by Assam Police at Bhetabazar area in Dhubri in 2021, along with two other Indian nationals, Shahalam Sheikh, a 37-year-old resident of Mantrir Char and Amir Ali, a 44-year-old resident of Bhetabazar, Dhubri, for possessing FICN worth Rs 1 lakh, which they were planning to transport and circulate in the Indian market.
Accordingly, the case was registered at Dhubri PS Case No. 796/2021 under Section 489(C) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes. The investigation officer, Inspector Jayanta Kumar Das, submitted the charge sheet against the three accused Umar Farook, Shahalam Sheikh, and Amir Ali, before the court.
Also read: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Inaugurates Key Projects on His 55th Birthday
In a ruling dated February 1, 2024, the court noted that Shahalam Sheikh and Amir Ali, two Indian nationals, had been ruled innocent by the District and Sessions Judge of the Dhubri Court and were not found guilty and both Sheikh and Ali were acquitted by the court.
The court opined that the accused Umar Farook deserved to be punished with rigorous imprisonment and fine to meet the ends of justice. In case of default in payment of a fine, the convict will have to undergo simple imprisonment for six months each under Section 14(A) of the Foreigners Act and Section 489(C) of the IPC. The conviction of Umar Farook is a result of the coordinated efforts of the Assam Police to curb the menace of FICN in the region.
