First NIA Conviction of 2025: Fake Currency Case

The NIA court in Mumbai sentenced four individuals to five years of imprisonment in a 2025 conviction related to the possession of fake Indian currency. Initially arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in 2020, the case involved fake currency worth Rs 13,67,500.

In a significant first for 2025, an NIA court on Wednesday sentenced four individuals to five-year rigorous imprisonment for possession of fake Indian currency notes. The conviction comes as a result of diligent work by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and legal proceedings in a special trial.

The case initially surfaced in Nagpur on January 16, 2020, where the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs 13,67,500, leading to the arrest of four suspects. The National Investigation Agency subsequently assumed control, formalizing charges by April of the same year.

Investigations also exposed a wider network involving another suspect, Sohrab Hosen, linked to smuggling counterfeit notes and illicit substances across the India-Bangladesh border. Despite Hosen's death in custody, the four remaining accused admitted guilt, each receiving a five-year sentence along with monetary penalties.

(With inputs from agencies.)