KOCHI: The history of the Manjeri native who turned approver in the Nedumbassery Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) seizure case was a key reason for the acquittal of three persons by the NIA Court. The NIA had turned Kunjumohammed alias Kunjutty an approver and his involvement in a similar counterfeit case was questioned during the trial.
According to a source, the statement of Kunjumohammed was relied upon by the NIA to prove the conspiracy, as also the involvement of Dawood Ibrahim’s close aide Aftab Bhatki in the case. Kunjumohammed was an accused in a similar fake currency seizure case registered in Manjeri. Similarly, during the trial, it was revealed by defence counsel that Kunjumohammed’s passport was surrendered at a court in Manjeri.
“At the time the Nedumbassery FICN case was registered, Kunjumohammed’s passport was surrendered at a court in Manjeri.
“During the trial, a question arose about his stay abroad while the passport was in the custody of the court.
It was revealed that he travelled abroad using a fake passport. A passport case might be registered against the approver following the recent revelation,” the source said. Similarly, Kunjumohammed had earlier been arrested in a narcotics case in Mumbai.
“So it was claimed the person who turned approver was a history-sheeter, because of which proving a conspiracy that was hatched abroad could not get proved in the court.” the source said.
The court had convicted Abid Chullikulavan for offences under Section 489 B and 489 C of the IPC.
For the offence under section 489 B, the accused can get life imprisonment or a term of imprisonment that can be extended up to 10 years or he is liable to be fined.
Similarly, for the offence under Section 489 C, the accused can get imprisonment for a term which may be extended up to seven years or a fine can be imposed on him.