The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's
dreaded espionage agency, has unleashed a new terror on India: women who courier
counterfeit currency.
The Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested a woman
called Tabassum on July 17, 2007 for carrying fake currency worth Rs 33 lakh.
Then on September 21 the Special Cell arrested
two men with fake currency. Their interrogation revealed that they got the money
from two women called Rashida and Mehrunisha
The Special Cell on November 21 busted an ISI-backed
syndicate and seized Rs 19.5 lakh in fake notes from two men who revealed that
the consignment was brought from Nepal with the help of a woman based in West
Bengal.
The police say the ISI is now busy recruiting
middle class women in western Uttar Pradesh, the National Capital Region and
Maharashtra. "They are recruiting women because they feel police won't
suspect them easily," says Alok Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special
Cell.
Women desperate for money are forced into this
racket, say police officers. The women are given air tickets, put up in plush
hotels and are just expected to be carriers. They don't even know who their
boss is so even if they are arrested their interrogation does not gives any
leads to the police.
The ISI has also been using new entry points
for fake currency. The Nepal and Bangladesh border, Samjhauta Express and the
Delhi-Lahore bus service 'Sada-e-Sarhad' have been popular means of pumping
in fake currency. But now they are using Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. Indian
security officials therefore have their task cut out.
