Shadow activities of ISI on the rise

BY BALA CHAUHAN

BENGALURU

July 4: Senior enforcement officials have warned that the Rs 2 crore recovered from the man allegedly involved in the 2007 Hyderabad bomb blast and the recent attack on anti-Naxal forces by Maoists in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh demonstrates that destabilisation by Pakistan’s premier counter-intelligence outfit is on the rise.

Officials said the fake currency in the denomination of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, flooding the market is part of the destabilisation, with the counterfeit notes being pumped into the city from as far away as Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka by Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence.

Intelligence officials say Maoists in Andhra have access to funding by Maoists in Nepal, who are now empowered with their own government in Kathmandu, and have re-energised the so called red corridor that runs from the porous north all the way to the south.

The Reserve Bank of India has made serious efforts to introduce anti-counterfeit features but "the pace with which fake currency is being dumped is alarming," said a senior enforcement officer.

The counterfeit currency network involved "the same people involved in the smuggling of gold and silver before the Indian economy was liberalised. Unemployed, they have now been roped in by international syndicates including Dawood Ibrahim to funnel fake Indian currency (FICN) in the country. These people are well trained in the operation. They are like a community, which thrives on commission and coded words," said a top officer from a leading enforcement agency.

"Most of them are semi-literate people and work as couriers. They are asked to follow instructions strictly and not ask any questions."