Visakhapatnam NIA – News Analysis India https://newsanalysisindia.com The news you need to know, explained Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 7 Fake Note Smugglers Sentenced by NIA Court https://newsanalysisindia.com/india/7-fake-note-smugglers-sentenced-by-nia-court/ Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 http://newsanalysisindia.local/7-fake-note-smugglers-sentenced-by-nia-court/ Visakhapatnam’s NIA court delivered justice in a high-stakes fake currency saga from 2015, convicting seven individuals linked to a cross-border smuggling ring. Sentences under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) span 7 to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, coupled with fines, marking a significant victory for India’s counter-terror financing efforts.

Originating from states like Assam, West Bengal, and Karnataka, the group included Saddam Hussain (Barpeta), Rostam (Malda), Amirul Haq (Barpeta), Mohammad Hakim Sheikh (Malda), Saddam Hussain (Bengaluru), Syed Imran (Mandya), and Mohammad Akbar Ali (Kamrup). NIA probes exposed their plot to infiltrate high-grade counterfeit Indian notes via the India-Bangladesh frontier, distributing them nationwide to undermine economic stability.

Key sentences highlight the operation’s scale. Assam’s Saddam Hussain, caught red-handed by DRI with over Rs 5 lakhs in fakes at a railway station, faces 10 years under UAPA Section 16 and a Rs 5,000 penalty. Amirul Haq mirrors this with 10 years under Section 18. West Bengal duo Rostam and Hakim Sheikh received 7 and 8 years respectively under Sections 20 and 18, with fines up to Rs 5,000 and default clauses.

Karnataka and Assam natives—Bengaluru Saddam, Syed Imran (previously convicted in a similar case), and Akbar Ali—each got 7 years under Section 20. After DRI’s initial bust, NIA assumed control, filing comprehensive charge sheets over the years. This comprehensive judgment not only punishes the perpetrators but also deters future attempts to erode India’s monetary integrity through illicit means.

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