The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is learnt to be probing the possible link that Tahir Taklya, arrested in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, may have with a container of counterfeit currency rumoured to have landed here in 2009.
A top police official told The Hindu that NIA officials have sought the details of the police inquiry made then into the fake currency consignment.
No case was registered in this regard as no seizures were made, though the police tried to work on leads provided by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The State Police have extended all support to the NIA probe into the network of counterfeit currency, the official said.
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The fake currency network has been tracked to Pakistan, he said.
Information secured from Mohammad of Chavakad, who was arrested with fake notes worth Rs.72.5 lakh from Karipur international airport, led the NIA to list Tahir Taklya, also known as Tahir Mohammed Merchant, as the main accused in the case.
Taklya was produced before the NIA Special Court on Friday and remanded in NIA custody for interrogation till November 16. It is alleged that Taklya, while working as a manager with a firm in Sharjah, sourced the fake notes from Pakistan and supplied it to carriers between 2007 and 2008.
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Tip-offs
Tip-offs received by the DRI led to the seizure of Rs.72.5 lakh from Karipur and Rs.20 lakh from Cochin International Airport.
It is learnt that the DRI seized another Rs.24.18 lakh from a person who was being deported and reached Cochin International Airport in 2010. But that case has not been included in the probe.
The person was arrested for working without a valid visa and deported. He was brought directly to the airport by the police, while his luggage was packed by his roommates. Even though he was booked, it was a clear case of innocent possession, DRI sources said.
Meanwhile, DRI sources chose to downplay the rumours of a container load of fake notes landing here.
The container that was intercepted and checked by DRI officials at the Cochin Port in 2009 was that of Chinese diapers being brought over as products of international brands.
The media linked the DRI communication to the Port officials to retain the consignment for detailed inspection with then running stories about container loads of counterfeit currency being pumped into real estate, especially in northern parts of the State, thus leading to the rumours, sources said.