Policeman gets 8yr prison term for possessing fake notes

EOI, DARJEELING, 10 Mar 2015: The Darjeeling district session’s court on Tuesday sentenced a police constable to eight years in prison after finding him guilty of dealing in counterfeit currency. 

Mohammed Mustafa was arrested on May 19, 2012 from a market complex in Darjeeling town with more than Rs11,000 in fake notes. Public prosecutor Pranay Rai said, “Police had received information about Mustafa possessing counterfeit currency and they arrested him in the afternoon of May 19, 2012. His living quarters in Dali Line were also raided from where fake notes amounting to Rs50,000 in different denominations were seized.” 

Mustafa was charged under IPC Sections 498B (using as genuine forged or counterfeit notes) and 498C (possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes). 

“District session’s judge Monojit Mondal sentenced the accused to eight years in prison and slapped him a fine of Rs5,000, the failure to pay which will invite an additional six-month sentence under Section 498B,” said Rai. 

“Another charge under Section 498C has also been registered against the accused which amounts to three years in jail and a fine of Rs2,000.” 

Since the sections were all bailable, Mustafa was let out then and was reporting for work as a security guard. He was attending on a high court judge prior to his re-arrest on Monday.