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NIA nabs three members of inter-state gang of cheats

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has busted an inter-state gang of cheats and nabbed its three members from Dholpur in…

IANS | New Delhi | November 12, 2017 10:19 pm

NIA nabs three members of inter-state gang of cheats

NIA (Photo: Twitter)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has busted an inter-state gang of cheats and nabbed its three members from Dholpur in Rajasthan, the agency said on Sunday.

The gang used to cheat people on the pretext of exchanging Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) or unbilled gold biscuits on attractive rates.

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The NIA recovered 20 gold biscuits of 100 grams each from their possession and is conducting searches in Mumbai and Kolhapur (Maharashtra). The genuineness of the gold is also being verified.

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“During the preliminary examination, it was revealed that an inter-state gang had been active since long in the states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi and West Bengal. They lured people on the pretext of exchanging high-quality FICN or unbilled gold biscuits on attractive rates,” an official said.

“They either looted their targets directly or carried out fake police raids with the help of associates. The off-guard targets would leave their money behind and not even lodge police complaints,” he added.

While investigating a FICN-related case, the NIA had recovered fake currency of Rs 9,80,000 face value on March 31 last year from the possession of one Nasir Sheikh near the India-Bangladesh border.

He was arrested on the spot, though his associate from Bangladesh, Darul Sheikh alias Darul, managed to escape.

On Saturday, the agency received a “reliable input” that the same Bangladeshi absconder Darul Sheikh along with other associates was trying to strike a deal in fake currency at Dholpur.

The NIA teams swung into action and detained three suspects, Gagan Kumar Vyas alias Tiwari of Satara, Rashid Khan alias Biza of Thane and Iqbal Ahmad Ansari of Palghar, Maharashtra.

“All the above detained gang members along with seized 20 gold biscuits are being handed over to Dholpur police for initiating appropriate action,” the official said.

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The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.