By Rajnish SinghNew Delhi [India], January 15 (ANI): The Indian Agency, National Investigation Agency, in close coordination with the Bangladeshi counterparts have started an investigation to curb illegal shipment of "Pakistan-printed Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) with help of ISI-backed smugglers in India via Bangladesh".

It is among one of the cases which are being probed by the NIA on foreign soil under powers given to them under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.

NIA's Inspector Arpan Saha, posted in the agency's Guwahati Branch Office, has been assigned as the Chief Investigation Officer (CIO) of the case, which is considered as a plan of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence to "destabilize the economy of India" by supplying counterfeit currency.

Having taken cognisance of the magnitude of the offence and its international links, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last month has directed the NIA to investigate the case under the NIA Act, 2008.

Following the order, the NIA filed a case on December 30 last year and directed Saha to begin the probe into the case.

The revelation comes amid the questioning of two Bangladeshi FICN smugglers Fatema Akhtar Aapi and her associate Sk Md Abu Taleb by the Bangladesh Police on November 26, 2021.

As the case was linked to India, the Bangladesh authorities contacted India and shared information that they have seized FICN worth Rs 7.35 crore in the denomination of Rs 500 from Aapi, a resident of Kasba in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh police informed India that it seized counterfeit currency worth Rs 50,000 from Aapi on November 26, 2021. Upon searching her house, the police also recovered fake currency worth Rs 7,34,50,000 in the denomination of Rs 500 notes.

Subsequently, Aapi and Taleb were arrested by the Bangladesh Police.

During the interrogation of the two accused, it is learnt that the FICN seized in Bangladesh was arranged and further shipped to Bangladesh by two Pakistani nationals -- Sultan and Safi.""It is suspected that the FICN has been printed in the neighbouring country and shipped to Bangladesh for further smuggling into India by international smugglers based in Pakistan to destabilize the economy of lndia," the NIA FIR mentions.

The Bangladesh Police registered a case under section 2S-A(B) of the Special Power Act, 1974 of Bangladesh on November 26 last year.

The NIA said it re-registered the case based on inputs shared by the Bangladesh Police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a thorough probe was started.(ANI)