NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has refused to grant bail to a Bulgarian citizen who was allegedly involved in making and trafficking fake Indian currency notes (FICN) in the national capital.
As per the police, Ruslan Petrov Metodiev was arrested initially in 2019 in relation to another case of cheating and forgery pertaining to ATM cloning.
During his jail term in the cheating case, he came in contact with inmates who deal in FICNs and when he was enlarged on bail in January 2021, he started dealing in FICNs. In the present case, fake notes of Rs 8 lakhs, all in denomination of Rs 500, were recovered from his possession, the cops said.
The public prosecutor, appearing for the cops, submitted that 24 instruments were recovered including laptops, printers etc. from the accused's rented accommodation at Gurgaon where he used to print FICNs.
Besides fake notes, original Indian currency of Rs.1,89,000 was also recovered from him which further strengthens the case of the state that he used to take original Indian currency notes against the supply of FICNs, it was submitted by the PP.
Additional Sessions Judge Dr. Hardeep Kaur at Patiala House Courts, in an order, noted "the seriousness of allegations and enormity of charge" while denying bail to Metodiev who was accused of offences under Section 489B, 489C, 489D & Section 14 of Foreigners Act (deals with the making, possessions and trafficking of fake currency).
The accused's counsel argued that he has been falsely implicated in the present case on the basis of fabricated and concocted facts which are not legally sustainable. It was also argued by the accused that the evidence placed on record in the present case by the investigating agency is documentary in nature and almost all the witnesses are police officials.