A Special NIA Court in Kolkata has sentenced two men to rigorous imprisonment for circulating fake Indian currency notes.

On Tuesday, the Court sentenced Asim Sarkar of Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh) to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment, while co-accused Aladu of Malda (West Bengal) received a 5-year jail term, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The Court also imposed fines of Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 on Sarkar and Aladu, respectively. If they fail to pay these fines, they will face an additional 3 months in jail.

Sarkar and Aladu were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

In 2019, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence agents seized 99 fake notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000 and two notes in the denomination of Rs 500, totaling Rs 1,99,000, from Sarkar. The NIA subsequently arrested Aladu and Faijul Sk, who is already serving a 5-year sentence in the case, in October 2019.

The trial against an absconding Bangladeshi national, identified as Abdul Rahim, is ongoing.

NIA investigations revealed that all four accused were involved in a criminal conspiracy to procure and circulate fake Indian currency notes (FICNs) with the intent to use them as genuine for unlawful gain, the statement said.