D-company may circulate fake notes
Sanjoy Ray
GUWAHATI, March 12: Financial institutions, including all public and private sector banks operating in Assam, have been asked to keep a tab on suspicious transactions or funding from ‘questionable’ sources and notices have already been issued to this effect.
Meanwhile, recent reports on most-wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim shifting the base of his fake India currency notes (FICN) racket from Nepal to Dhaka too has made law enforcing agencies wary of the possibility of fake currency being circulated in view of the ensuing polls in Assam and West Bengal.
“Vigil along the international border connecting Assam has been heightened. The frequency of joint patrolling involving the Border Security Force and Assam Police too has been increased to thwart any attempt to pump in FICN, and for that matter any other criminal activity along the Indo-Bangla border,” a senior Assam Police official told The Assam Tribune.
“The implications of D-company’s shifting the operational base of its fake currency racket to Dhaka following a crackdown in Nepal cannot be ruled out, although certain aspects are still at verifying stage,” the official added.
“For the vigil along the international riverine border, a special plan has been chalked out in view of the elections,” he divulged.
Top security sources further informed that the Deputy Commissioners and the Superintendents of Police of all the bordering districts, including Karimganj, Cachar, Dhubri and South Salmara, have been directed to coordinate with the BSF as well as their counterparts during the entire process of the Assembly polls.
“As far as illegal, unaccounted or unauthorized offshore funding is concerned, the Enforcement Directorate is coordinating with various stakeholders so that not a single window of clearance goes unchecked. Banks have been asked to defer release or crediting of transaction in such cases,” a source said.
The source further stated that a multiple line of defence is being created and based on a recent assessment, manpower along the vulnerable or porous border has been substantially increased.
“As far as inter-state border security is concerned, the Deputy Commissioners and the Superintendents of Police of the four districts have been asked to maintain close coordination with their counterparts, and if possible take part in one-to-one interactions on a frequent basis. Since there are no polling stations on any disputed land, there is not much to worry about from the law and order point of view,” the source opined.
Meanwhile, an official of a public sector bank said that as soon as they spot any unusual transaction – be it in the form of withdrawal or online banking – the gatekeeping module of the system would get activated and the message would be directed to the authority concerned. “It is only after securing approval from the appropriate authority that the said transaction will be given clearance,” he added.
