In a major catch, Nepalese police have arrested Iltaf Hussain Ansari, alleged kingpin of fake Indian currency smuggling racket, from Kalimati on the outskirts of the capital.
A special team of police from Central Investigation Bureau arrested the notorious smuggler, alleged to be running
the smuggling racket for over a decade, CIB chief Rajendra Singh Bhandari said.
He described Ansari's arrest as the completion of a decade-long mission of Nepal Police. "He is perhaps the cleverest criminal ever seen in the smuggling arena here, he said.
Ansari hails from Prastuka village of Bara district near Nepal-India border and whenever the police reaches his birthplace, the villagers helped him to escape, according to the policemen involved in his arrest. Ansari has been a friend-turned-rival of Yunus Ansari who was arrested in January 2010 following seizure of fake Indian notes and brown sugar from his driver.
After Yunus's arrest, Ansari is considered to have operated the entire smuggling racket almost single-handedly until his arrest last week. It is believed that he has also operated illegal arms trade along the open border between Nepal and India.
India has from time to time drawn the attention of Nepal government over growing fake Indian currency racket being carried out in the Nepalese territory. At many instances fake Indian bank notes have been smuggled into Nepal from Pakistan on their way to India. During his visit to Nepal few months ago, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna raised the issue of fake currency racket with Nepal government.