Fake note cases in limbo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The seizure of counterfeit currency notes by the police from eight Bengali youths at Parassala a month ago had attained a sensational status after it attracted the attention of even the Central investigation agencies. The agencies even sent their sleuths to quiz the arrested persons.  Following this, the state police recommended to the government to hand over the charge of the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after they found out that gravity of the case had grown out of their capacity. But the Chief Minister said that the case would be handed over to the NIA only after the state police probed into all aspects of the seizure.  However, the Crime Branch - Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) of the state police is yet to start a probe, let alone completing it and handing it over to the NIA. This fact was confirmed by a senior officer attached to the Economic Offence Wing of the CB-CID. He told City Express that the CB-CID was yet to take over the charge of the case.  Usually, when a case of fake currency notes is registered, the local police would conduct the probe for 14 days, after which the charge of the probe would be handed over to the Economic Offence Wing of the CB-CID.  The Neyyattinkara police, who conducted the preliminary inquiry, said that they had forwarded an application with regard to the handing over of the case to the CB-CID long before. ‘’We busted the gang and produced them before the court. All of them are in judicial custody now. We have nothing left to do now,’’ said Gopakumaran Nair, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Neyyattinkara. Meanwhile, another counterfeit currency note case was reported in the city the other day, the fate of which also seems be that of the previous one. The Thampanoor police, on Sunday, had arrested two persons, suspected to be the agents of the counterfeit currency mafia, while trying to circulate the fake notes.   The police, following the arrest, had said that they had confiscated the mobile phones used by the suspects, which could provide them new leads into the case. However, there has been no effort from the police in this regard. They produced the suspects and the materials confiscated from them before the court.  ‘’Further probe can only be conducted by the CB-CID,’’ said Sub Inspector R Sivakumar, who was in the team that made the arrest.