M A I N   N E W S

Pumping in fake notes worth 20 cr
RAW red alert on ISI game plan
From Santosh Jha

PATNA, Dec 19 — As if the internal troubles were not enough for the state police, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) alert over the possible external aggression has jolted them, putting them on the red alert. RAW has warned of the Pakistan Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) bid to pump in fake currencies worth Rs 20 crore into Indian soil via Nepal. The state government, following the RAW alert, has put on toes its police force, especially along the long and porous Indo-Nepal border in the state, through which the ISI plans to sneak in the notes.

RAW has informed the state government of the ISI game plan following the chain of arrests revealing the ISI readiness. It has been informed that fake notes have been prepared with latest technology to evade detection even through the ultra-violet rays test. The fake notes are said to have the necessary ‘marks’ made mandatory by the Reserve Bank in its advertisement campaign through newspapers and television. The currencies are reportedly stacked in Malgawan and Birganj areas of Nepal, adjacent to Bihar and awaiting ‘opportune’ time to sneak into Indian soil.

The SPs of bordering districts have been asked to keep a look-out for troublemakers. Night vigil and patrolling have been intensified. The ISI game plan was busted following the arrest of 13 Kashmiri terrorists, along with a woman, in possession of fake currencies worth Rs 28 lakh on May 11 at Sitamarhi. In the same area, two terrorists, Shabbir Ahmad Bhatt and Iftkhar Ahmad, were arrested in June following the recovery of RDX and detonators from their car parked near a line hotel. Recently a Pakistani national was arrested near Muzaffarpur. It is said that the ISI game plan of pumping in huge amount of fake notes was busted following the interrogation of the Pak national.

It is to be mentioned that Bihar police have time and again busted the fake note racket in the state and so far arrested more than 50 persons in this connection. Police sources admit that the fake notes recovered are very high quality stuff and can be detected fake only after proper lab test. Even the bank personnel have found it difficult to detect them. The RAW alert over another big attempt by the ISI to pump in fake notes has made life of the state cops difficult.