Two NIA staffers held for stealing fake currency from agency’s store

Two staffers of National Investigation Agency (NIA) have been arrested by the Delhi police for allegedly stealing Fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of ₹1.5 crore from the strong room (equivalent to a maalkhana of a police station) of the federal anti-terror agency.

The currency, in the denomination of ₹2000 notes, was seized by the agency during raids in Gurugram in May last week.

An official familiar with the matter said that a constable of the agency and a pantry staff were seen in the CCTV footage at headquarters stealing the fake currency presuming it to be genuine notes. The senior officials informed the Delhi police which registered a case and took them into custody.

A SP-rank officer of the NIA who had recovered the fake currency was recently repatriated to his parent cadre after it was found that he was extorting money from a businessman.

An NIA officer stated, “An exhibit containing fake currency was stolen from NIA maalkhana last week by one constable and a pantry staff. The stolen exhibit was recovered soon thereafter. Appropriate legal action was taken in the matter. Delhi Police has registered a case and arrested both the accused.”

Parvinder Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police, said the police had registered a case of theft at the Lodhi Colony police station on August 30 after receiving a complaint from the NIA that ₹1.5 crore of counterfeit currency notes were stolen from the NIA maalkhana.

“The NIA also informed us about the people they suspected of stealing the currency notes. The two suspects named by them were the ones who had access to that room,” said the officer.

Singh identified the arrested men as NIA constable Ashok and pantry staff member Sunil and said that both were arrested on August 30.

First Published: Sep 05, 2019 06:29 IST