One Sentenced To Rigorous Imprisonment In Fake Currency Case In Odisha’s Balangir

Balangir: A court has sentenced an accused in fake currency note racket to rigorous imprisonment (RI) in Odisha’s Balangir district.

As per the case, a team of the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police conducted a raid on a park near the bus stand at Titlagarh in the district following a tip-off that two persons were brokering a deal on fake currency notes on February 1, 2023.

During the raid, the STF team arrested one of the two persons, identified as Lingaraj Behera of Kalahandi, while his accomplice Dharmu Rana managed to escape. The STF also seized a bag containing fake notes with the value of Rs 31,27,500 from his possession.

The seized notes were sent to Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran (P) Ltd, Mudrana Nagar in West Bengal for test. The lab test confirmed that the notes were counterfeit. Following this, the STF filed the chargesheet in the court.

After hearing the case and examining the evidence, the Court of Assistant Sessions Judge, Titilagarh sentenced Behera to rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 5 years for the offence under Section 489-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 3-year RI for the offence under Section 489-C of the IPC along with a fine. Both the punishments will run concurrently, the court ruled.