Terrorism-related incidents in West Bengal since 2007

Sl. No.

Date

Place

Incident

January 10

North 24 Parganas District/Kolkata

The Kolkata Police recovered FICNs in denomination of INR 100, INR 500 and INR 2,000 and arrested three unidentified men and an unidentified woman from Khardah area of North 24 Parganas District of Municipality of Barrackpore Subdivision in Kolkata, West Bengal.

West Bengal

The Indian security agencies suspect the involvement of Bangladesh-based terror outfit JMB in planting three IEDs in Bodh Gaya to avenge the atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar by the Buddhists, The Times of India reports on January 28. An officer involved in the investigation of the blast followed by recovery of two IEDs close to the Tibetan monastery on January 19, 2018 said it was the handiwork of JMB. The banned terror outfit backed by Pakistan's ISI has active cadres in West Bengal (WB) and Assam. It's several members are suspected to be hiding in West Bengal. The JMB has not been involved in any major terror attack in India. The officer said the evidence strongly indicates JMB's involvement in the failed terror attack, which had aimed to kill Buddhist monks and foreigners present in Bodh Gaya to listen to the sermons of Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. "A series of calls were made to some locations in West Bengal from Bodh Gaya just before and after planting the three IEDs," the officer said, adding, "Calls were made to locations known to Indian security agencies as covert bases of JMB operating in WB for the past several years." He also said the technique used in making the three IEDs is far different from that by IM in Bodh Gaya and Patna in 2013 or other places in the country in the past.

Malda District and Darjeeling District

In connection to the low-intensity blast at the Bodh Gaya temple in Gaya District of Bihar on January 19, the Kolkata Police on January 31 arrested two operatives of JMB, identified as Paigamber Sheikh (24) and Jamirul Sheikh (31). During the preliminary interrogation, both accused has revealed their connection with JMB and conspiracy of planting an IED at the Bodh Gaya temple during Dalai Lama's visit, said the DCP of the STF Murlidhar Sharma. Both accused Paigamber Sheikh and Jamirul Sheikh are residents of Murshidabad of Malda Administrative Division in West Bengal. The Kolkata Police arrested Paigamber Sheikh from his residence in Kankuria Gram of Murshidabad in Malda District, whereas Jamirul Sheikh was arrested from Phanisdewa of Darjeeling District in West Bengal. The Central and State investigation agencies are probing the matter and the guilty persons will be given stringent punishment, said Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar while inaugurating the 'Bauddh Mahotsav' at the Kaalchakra Maidan of the Bodh Gaya temple on February 01.

West Bengal

Suspected JMB operatives Mohammad Paigambar Sheikh (24) and Jamirul Sheikh (31) told the West Bengal Police that they had planned eight serial blasts in Bodh Gaya to avenge the alleged atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Indian passport, cellphone, laptop, electrical tapes, wires and switches, gloves, incriminating documents and 50kg of ammonium nitrate were recovered from their possession. Plastic lunch boxes similar to that found in Bodh Gaya were also recovered. An officer said the JMB members could not plant the other five IEDs as the first one exploded near the Kalchakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya on January 19. One IED planted below a generator set near Kalchakra Maidan had partially exploded leading to the recovery of two others just a few metres from the entrance of a Tibetan monastery where Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was staying during that period. The intelligence agencies had tracked several calls in West Bengal before and after the January 19 incident, he said. "Ammonium nitrate granules were also recovered from partially exploded IED. It was perhaps to increase the destructive power of the bomb," the officer said. "Mohammad Sheikh had studied at several madrassas in Bihar, including Gaya and Katihar. He was trained in making bombs and explosions at a terror camp organized by JMB at Bardhaman in West Bengal between 2012 and 2013," a Bihar Police officer said. He also said Jamirul was an Arabic language teacher at a madrassa in Darjeeling. "Mohammad Sheikh had smuggled the explosives used in the three IEDs from Bangladesh. Jamirul's role was to arrange human resource and transport for carrying the explosion," he said and added that JMB, a banned outfit in Bangladesh, was also linked with a couple of international terror organizations. Sources said JMB has very active cadres in West Bengal and Assam. Some of its members, wanted in Bangladesh, are suspected to be hiding in Bengal.

Ratnapur Village/Samserganj Tehsil/Murshidabad District

The West Bengal Police arrested Azhar Hossain (22)-a suspected militant of JMB, and recovered huge collection of ammunition and IED explosives from his possession in Ratnapur village in Samserganj Tehsil of Murshidabad District of West Bengal. The Police presented Azhar Hossain before a court in Jangipur in Murshidabad District (West Bengal) and sought 14-days Police custody. The Police charged Azhar Hossain under Sections 120, 121, 122, and 123 of the IPC, 1860. The Police team raided his house and recovered 75 rounds of ammunition, a loaded magazine, 25 kilograms of explosives and jihadi literature, said an unnamed officer of the District Intelligence wing. "Interrogations of the arrested accused have revealed that several modules and sleeper cells of the JMB are now active in Murshidabad and neighbouring Districts of West Bengal. They have recruited several youngsters so far," said an unnamed Police officer.

India-Bangladesh Border/Baishanbghata/Malda District

The BSF South Bengal Frontier recovered 97 FICNs in denomination of INR 2,000 which worth INR 1.94 lakh from nearby of India-Bangladesh border in Baishnabghata of Malda District, West Bengal. Meanwhile, the courier carrying the bundle of these FICNs took the advantage of fog and darkness and managed to escape. Acting upon the Intelligence inputs, the BSF troops laid an ambush around 11:30 pm (IST) as they spot a man boarding a motorcycle approaching from the Kamat Bandi village in Haldibari Tehsil of Koch Bihar District (West Bengal) and challenged him to stop. The man turned his motorcycle and fled but a bundle of FICNs fell from his possession, said an unnamed senior BSF official.

Murshidabad town/Murshidabad District and, Daulatpur Borderpost/Malda District/

The Murshidabad Police arrested three unidentified person and recovered FICNs worth INR six Lakhs in Murshidabad town in Murshidabad District of West Bengal. All three accused are residents of Malda District in West Bengal. Total of 388 FICNs in denomination of INR 500 and 203 FICNs in denomination of INR 1,000 were recovered.

Meanwhile, the BSF has recovered FICNs worth INR 8.98 Lakhs nearby Daulatpur border outpost in Malda District of West Bengal. The joint operation conducted by the Special Operations team and representatives of the NIA had suspected some movement inside a house in Daulatpur village in Malda District (West Bengal) and arrested an unnamed man in this case, read a statement released by the BSF. Upon thorough search of arrested man's house, total of worth INR 8.98 Lakhs of FICNs in denomination of INR 500 and INR 2,000 were recovered. The seized FICNs have been handed-over to the Police of Baishanbnagar Police Station for further action in the matter.

North 24 Parganas

The BSF arrested a North Korean national identified as Jhung Ho (mid-30s) who entered India illegally through India-Bangladesh international border in North 24 Parganas District in West Bengal. In preliminary investigation, Jhung Ho revealed that he has a valid North Korean passport but entered India without Indian visa. He had been employed with a North Korean firm that makes mining equipment which is based in Bangladesh. He wanted to see India but could not get the tourist visa therefore he tried the illegal way to enter India. He learned few words of Bengali and English, said an unnamed BSF official. Jhung Ho was handed-over to the Police officials at Swarupnagar Police Station in North 24 Parganas District (West Bengal) where he confessed that he paid good amount to a tout to be taken across the border. Jhung Ho was awarded Police custody by the local court. The counterparts in Bangladesh confirmed Jhung Ho's profession but he is unable to satisfy the investigators over his decision to illegally enter India, said an unnamed Police officer at North 24 Parganas District.

Dhulian/Jangipur Subdivision/Murshidabad District

The STF of Kolkata Police arrested Noor Mohammad-an operative of JMB, from Dhulian in Jangipur Subdivision of Murshidabad District, West Bengal. The Special team comprised of senior officials that raided several locations in Murshidabad District and arrested Noor Mohammad. Following day, Noor appeared before the Bankshall Court while being remanded to Police custody for 10 days. During the raid, the STF recovered a Passport and several documents. Noor Mohammad was involved in the Bodh Gaya incident of January 20 in Bihar.

The Indian Intelligence agencies suspected a conspiracy to settle down 40,000 Rohingya refugees in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas Districts. Around 40,000 Rohingyas who are spread-out at different locations in India, reportedly instructed to settle down in two Districts of the West Bengal-a state ruled by the Trinamool Congress, read a report sent to the UMHA regarding the matter. Around 40 organisations have been under Intelligence's suspicions who are involved in 'settling down' the Rohingyas illegally, and also gathering funds from across the country. These organisations had asked the people of nearby villages to donate their land to Rohingya settlement purposes, claimed the report. "Many of the Rohingyas figure in the suspected sinister designs of IS and other extremists groups who want to achieve their ulterior motives in India including that of flaring up communal and sectarian violence in sensitive areas of the country.", read an affidavit filed by the Central Government in the Supreme Court of India's registry over the issue.

Beenapole border

The NIA filed charges against a British national of Bangladesh origin-Samiun Rehman who illegally entered India from Bangladesh with a conspiracy of carrying-out terrorist activities. Upon his arrest in September 2017, incriminating materials, alleged chat with al Qaeda operatives were found in his laptop and mobile phone, which signals towards his association with al Qaeda, claimed NIA. Rehman illegally entered India through Beenapole border in West Bengal and stayed at several hideouts in India. His intentions were to establishment of the base of al Qaeda and execute the plan of terror attacks in India. Rehman was arrested in Delhi in September 2017.

Kolkata

The Kolkata Police's STF arrested two persons-Rinku Sheikh (23) and Rakimul Sheikh (24) from a unnamed market in Kolkata in West Bengal and recovered Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) in denomination of INR 500 and INR 2,000 of worth INR 10 lakhs, reports Indian Express. Reportedly, both have come to the market to make purchases with the FICNs. Both were produced before the Court on next day of the arrest, and granted 12 days Police custody, said an unnamed senior STF officer. Rinku and Rakimul are resident of Kaliachak in Malda District of West Bengal.

The West Bengal's CID recovered the FICNake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) in INR 2,000 denomination of worth INR 4 Lakhs, from Kaliachak area in Malda District of West Bengal. Acting upon specific inputs, the CID team raided the Sujapur bus station in Kaliachak area and arrested two person-Mohibur Rahman (19) and Amir Hossain (20) with FICNs. Both persons are newly involved in the racket, hence further probe in on-going, said an unnamed senior official involved in the case.

The Kolkata Police arrested an unidentified man from Akra Fatak area in Kolkata District of West Bengal and recovered the FICNs in the denomination of INR 500 and INR 2,000, worth of more than a lakh Indian rupees. The investigation is on-going, to determine the involvement of any network in this matter, said an unnamed Police official.

The State Police has arrested Arghya and Krishna and recovered 34 counts of the FICNs worth INR 6,800 in denominations of INR 200, from North Kolkata's Baranagar. Arghya was arrested in Baranagar of Kolkata District while he tried to give FICNs at a shop. Acting upon the information provided by Arghya, the State Police raided the house of Krishna and found that he was printing FICNs, he was arrested then and there, said an unnamed officer at the Baranagar Police Station. Apart from FICNs, the Police also recovered a printer, scanner and paper used for printing the FICNs.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested Kamil (45)-a member of International network of the FICNs operated in the West Bengal's Malda District and India-Bangladesh border. Delhi Police has recovered FICNs worth INR 8 lakhs in the denomination of INR 2,000 from Kamil. For few months, a special team led by Inspector Rahul Kumar Singh was trying to catch Martuz-a resident of Malda District, who was operating the module and circulating the FICNs to various parts of the country. Acting upon the specific information that Kamil has collected huge consignment of FICNs from the Martuz and would be meeting one of his associates near the Seelampur Metro Station bus station to deliver the consignment. A trap was laid near the Seelampur Metro Station and Kamil was spotted with a bag and waited for someone, but no one turned up. Hence, Police team went in and arrested Kamil, said DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. Efforts are ongoing to identify his other associates and uncover the entire network of FICNs, said an unnamed Police official.

The Maharashtra ATS arrested an alleged terror suspect-Faisal Hasan Mirza (32) who is trained in Pakistan to carry-out terror attacks in India. Hasan Mirza is an associate of a wanted terrorist-Amir Reza Khan, co-founder of IM and was ordered to plan an attack in Mumbai, said an unnamed senior officer. Mirza was arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Maharashtra ATS and Kolkata STF, which has been tracking Reza and his associates, said an unnamed official. The preliminary interrogation has revealed that Mirza had stayed in Sharjah, UAE and moved to Karachi, Pakistan via Dubai. In Karachi, he was trained in a terror camp at unspecified location, said an unnamed officer.

Central Kolkata

Kolkata Police's STF arrested two persons-Mohammad Abdus Sattar and Azad and recovered the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) worth INR 10 Lakhs from their possession. Both-Sattar and Azad were trying to buy material from a shop with the FICNs. The counterfeit notes were in the denomination of INR 2,000, said an unnamed Police official. Sattar is a resident of Kaliachak in Malda District of West Bengal, whereas Azad is from Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

Murshidabad

Murshidabad Police arrested two persons-Manglu Khan (30) and Sadekul Khan (30) and recovered bomb-making chemicals/explosives weighing 98 kgs, from Nimtita in Murshidabad District in West Bengal. The border between India and Bangladesh is not very far from where Manglu and Sadekul were arrested. Preliminary investigation has revealed that duo were engaged in bomb making and selling it to either Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) or Ansarullah Bangal Team (ABT)-banned terror outfits in Bangladesh, said an unnamed District Intelligence officer. Manglu Khan and Sadekul Khan bought the explosives material from an arms dealer based in Jharkhand. Allegedly, the duo has sold more than a tonne explosive to local criminal gangs in Malda and Murshidabad Districts.

The Kolkata STF has arrested a man-Anarul Sheikh and recovered 11,000 Gelatin Sticks, over 50,000 detonators and sacks of Ammonium Nitrate from Bahadurpur village in Birbhum District of West Bengal. The explosives were smuggled from neighbouring State-Jharkhand in two vehicles but the drivers are absconding, revealed the preliminary investigation. It is believed that the explosives shall be used for illegal stone quarries but the terror angle is also not ruled-out in the case, said an unnamed investigator. "Investigation during the Burdwan blast case revealed that Birbhum District has a good presence of Jihadi terrorists and several Islamic terrorists were nabbed from the district in subsequent operations. It is also possible that any terror module might have collected the raw materials for a massive terror plot in West Bengal or any other State. We are trying to locate the drivers of the vehicles", said an unnamed top Police official.

The Kolkata Police's STF arrested Mitha Lal from Shahid Minar Ground in Maidan Police Station area and recovered 50 pieces of the FICNs in denomination of INR 2,000 worth INR One lakh from his possession. Mitha Lal-resident of Jalor District in Rajasthan was a member of an interstate FICN network and the Police are probing him for further details about the network, said an unnamed Police official.

In connection of supply of the FICNs, Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested Narendra (41) aka Secretary from his resident in Rohtak of Haryana and recovered FICNs in denomination of INR 2,000 of worth INR 30,000 from his possession. During the interrogation, Narendra confessed that he used to obtain FICNs as well as Narcotics from different sources in Kaliachak, Malda District, West Bengal. These FICNs were smuggled from Pakistan via Bangladesh border, said DCP of Special Cell-Pramod Singh Kushwah. Reportedly, Narendra is a 'hardcore' criminal and was arrested earlier by the Haryana Police in 2013-2014. In 2016, Delhi Police had arrested him with FICNs worth INR three lakh, and after his release from jail, the Special Cell monitored his movement. Reportedly, he was involved in more than 30 cases of Robbery, Dacoity, Arms Act and FICNs incidents and the cases were registered against him in Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana. In two cases [unspecified], he has been convicted. Delhi Police had kept a reward of INR one lakh on Narendra's arrest.

A team of the CBI has arrested Biswanath Mandal aka Debu (25) at Chor Sujapur Village in Malda District in West Bengal, and recovered the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) worth INR 4.91 lakh from his possession. It is believed that Biswanath Mandal is a kingpin of FICN network. Mandal was absconding from three years with a monetary reward of INR 50,000 upon his arrest, said an unnamed CBI official. The CBI officials would take Mandal to Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) for further interrogation. The CBI is also in search for few other persons involved in FICN peddling in other cases.

Sl. No.

Date

Place

Incident

January 2

Kolkata

A top operative of the Bangladesh-based terrorist outfit JMB, Mohammad Mosiuddin alias Musa has revealed that Islamic State (IS) is planning to carry out terror attacks in the eastern part of the country. Mosiuddin claimed that the IS want to establish an Islamic caliphate in India. The SFs and the intelligence agencies are now verifying the possibility of an IS attack from the east following the interrogation of Musa. During his interrogation, Musa has made revelations that terror groups now aim at targeting foreigners at Kolkata's Mother House and lone wolf attacks on foreign tourists in Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir).

Murshidabad

Police recovered 40 pieces of fake INR 2000 notes from West Bengal's Murshidabad District, officials said, reports indiablooms.com. According to Police reports, acting on a tip off, Police booked a suspect- Ajijur Rahman- from Chatra Ghat area under Islampur Police Station limits in Murshidabad District and seized FICN INR 2000 notes with face value of INR 80,000 rupees from his possession.

BSF seized INR 2,000 notes worth INR 2, 00,000 FICN in West Bengal's Malda District. Meanwhile, according to a report, it has taken barely two months for Pakistan-based counterfeiters to come out with fake INR 2,000 notes. Punjab used to be the permeable border but now the money is being pumped into the country via the India-Bangladesh border. The details surfaced following recent arrests and seizures made by NIA and BSF, the report say.

BSF seized 48 FICN of INR 2,000 with face value of INR 96, 000 from Indo-Bangladesh border in Malda District of West Bengal. Official sources said, acting on a tip off, BSF booked a man- Shariful Shah (32)- from Baishnabnagar near NH-34 with 48 FICN of INR 2,000. "Following the introduction of new currency notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500, there have been around half a dozen cases where fake currency notes in the denomination of Rs 2,000 were recovered but their quality of far inferior. Most of them were just scanned copy of the note. But the recovery made last night on by our investigators appear to be better than what was seized by the force sometime back," said a senior BSF official.

Two persons were arrested along with four FICN of face value of INR 2000 near Farakka in West Bengal. The two, who hail from Murshidabad District, were caught and arrested when the Police found them moving around in a suspicious manner. They were produced at the local court which remanded them in Police custody for five days. Before demonetization Malda in West Bengal had become one of the main transit points for smuggling in FICN from Bangladesh before pushing it into the country.

Kolkata Police neutralised a FICN racket and arrested five persons along with FICN amounting to INR 56,74,000 from Howrah District of West Bengal. "Five persons were arrested from the Fancy Market area in Kolkata's Watgunj and fake notes totalling Rs 56.74 lakh seized from them," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vishal Garg told. Garg said the five were caught while buying cell phones at Kabitirtha Sarani in Watgunj. "Accused Manohar Mollah, Syeed Rehan, Seikh Eklakh Ahamed and Seikh Abul Kalam Azad are residents of West Bengal's Howrah district while Balai Mondal hails from Bankura," the officer added.

Police arrested a man, identified as Mukulesh Mian alias Bhutto from Rathbari area in Malda District of West Bengal and recovered FICN of INR 2000 with a face value of INR 92,000 from his possession. "We have charged the man under IPC sections 489B (Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and 489C (Possession of forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) and we are quizzing him to know more about his involvement with FICN (Fake Indian Currency Notes) trafficking racket," a senior official of Malda District Police told. However, the man was produced in a local court on March 5, and was remanded to Police custody for further interrogation.

Two persons including a Bangladeshi national were arrested from Samsherganj in Murshidabad District, when they were trying to smuggle in FICN by crossing a river. The Police have recovered FICN worth INR 5,00,000 and all the notes were of INR 2,000 denomination. Police arrested Babu Sheikh, who is a resident of Shibganj at Chapai Nawabganj District of Bangladesh, and his Indian counterpart Salim Sheikh who is a resident of Baishnabgarh in Malda District.

he Police suspect that Babu might be involved in an international fake currency racket. They will be interrogating both the accused to know about their associates who are operating to circulate fake currency in India. The Police feel that Babu is also involved in terror activities. The reason being that the circulation of fake currency is a task which members of terror outfits take up to earn money. The police are trying to know whether Babu is in any way linked with terror outfits like JMB.

A BSF patrol seized fake notes with face value of INR 300,000 near the IB fence gate in the Churiantpur area of Malda District around 11:45 PM on April 2. The seizure was made after suspected smugglers flung a packet into the Indian side from across the border.

BSF personnel seized FICN of the face value of INR 300,000 from Anantapur village in Malda District. The BSF personnel during patrolling along the Indo-Bangladesh border found 150 fake currency notes of the denomination of INR 2000 in a bag at Chowri Anantapur village under Baisnabnagar Police Station, BSF sources sources.

NIA, filed the fourth supplementary charge-sheet before the Bankshall Court in connection with the Khagragarh blast (October 2, 2014) against three more operatives of the JMB. In the earlier charge-sheets, NIA had mentioned names of 30 accused. Nine of the accused are still at large. In the charge-sheet filed, names of Mohammad Rubel alias Rafiq, Jahidul Islam and Mohammad Sahidul Islam have been mentioned. Two of them were residents of Bangladesh and one is from Assam. Rubel and Jahidul are residents of Rajshahi and Delduar respectively in Bangladesh while Sahidul is a resident of Barpeta in Assam.

BSF, night recovered FICN worth INR 700,000 from Anantapur area of Kaliachak in Malda District. The fake currency notes were of INR 2,000 denomination. During their vigil, some of the BSF troopers found a plastic bag lying along the Indo-Bangladesh border. Upon inspection, they found the fake currency notes wrapped inside the packet. Police have started a case in this regard and a probe has been initiated. No one has been arrested in this connection so far.

FICNs worth INR 1,00,000 in INR 2,000 denomination, was seized by the BSF along the Indo-Bangladesh International Border in West Bengal's Malda District. A BSF patrol party found a packet in a mango orchard near the Churiantpur border post area of Malda around 12:45 pm during an operation to arrest FICN smugglers active along this border, officials said. While no smugglers were found in the area, they said the packet seized by the patrol party had 50 fake currency notes, each of INR 2,000 denomination, with a total face value of INR 1,00,000.

The seized fake notes have been handed over to the Kaliachak Police. With this, the BSF has seized FICN with face value of INR 22,98,000 and apprehended two smugglers so far this year from the border area here, the officials said.

Police arrested two persons at Brabourne Road in Kolkata (West Bengal) after seizing from them FICN of the face value of INR 76,000. Javed Ali (30) and Iqbal Ali (28) residents of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh were arrested while they were trying to buy CDs from a shop at the Brabourne Road-India Exchange Place crossing under the Hare Street Police Station limits, a senior Police officer said.

A tunnel has been detected along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal which might have been used for smuggling FICNs, ammunitions and arms. "We have information that a tunnel has been detected along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. But details are still awaited," Joint Secretary (Northeast) in the home ministry Satyendra Garg stated. Advisor in the home ministry Ashok Prasad said this was perhaps for the first time that such a tunnel has been detected in the country's eastern border. Several such tunnels have been detected along the Indo-Pakistan border in the west.

Bardhaman District

Kolkata Police arrested three persons from Kalna in Bardhaman District, night on charges of carrying FICN. Acting on a tip-off, the investigators stopped an ambulance near Purba Sahapur in Kanla and found three persons carrying FICN worth INR 20,000, all in INR 2000 currency notes, along with firearms and narcotic substances. The accused Sanjoy Majhi, Shibu Rajbanshi and the ambulance driver Pratap were arrested and they were interrogated by the investigators throughout the night.

Kolkata Police arrested one person at Baisnabnagar in Malda District with FICN. The accused person was trying to cross the border from the Indian side with a bagful of fake notes but he was captured by the BSF officers. The officers found INR 1,96,000 in FICN, all of which were in denominations of INR 2000, from him.

Keeping in view the safety and security of the growing number of tourists in the coastal areas of the state, the West Bengal Government decided to recruit more Police personnel for eight Police Stations in those areas. The state Cabinet took the decision to recruit 267 Police personnel for eight coastal Police Stations for the security and safety of the growing number of tourists in those places, State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said.

Malda

Hundreds of crores of rupees of FICN especially of INR 2,000 denomination printed by notorious gangs of neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan are flooding Malda District in West Bengal for illegal circulation in the country and disrupting nation's economy. DRI and IB officials have alerted the Hyderabad Police to be vigilant in preventing the circulation of such fake currency by providing proper leads about the gang members indulging in the offence. "For the first time after demonetisation, we have received specific information from Central agencies about these gangs who have brought huge quantities of fake currency of Rs 2,000 denomination to the city and being circulated at selected congested business localities. Following the tip off, our teams have kept a close vigil and arrested three persons and recovered fake currency worth Rs 1.90 lakh from them," DCP, Task Force, B Limba Reddy said.

Baliadanga area / Malda District

BSF arrested a person, identified as Samayon, carrying INR 92000 worth of FICN in INR 2000 note denomination near Baliadanga area of Malda District in West Bengal. So far in 2017, the south Bengal frontier of the BSF has seized FICNs of the face value of INR 30.84 lakh and arrested five men, the BSF said.

A large cache of firearms and arms making equipment were recovered and seven persons were arrested as the Police unearthed an illegal arms manufacturing unit in Malda District of West Bengal. SP, Arnab Ghosh said 48 finished firearms and a large number of unfinished arms were seized from the factory at Debipur village under Kaliachak Police Station area. The firearms were of 9mm and 7mm variety. During the raid, the Police also arrested seven persons from the factory which was being operated from the house, Ghosh said. The arrested were the owner of the house and six persons from Munger in Bihar, known as a hub of illegal firearms manufacturing centre for long. They six were possibly engaged in manufacturing fire arms, the SP said.

During search of the house, the Police also recovered FICNs with a face value of INR 50,000. It was being suspected that the arms manufactured there were delivered to neighbouring states.

Police arrested three militants of the of KCP, 'chairman' Senjam Notenkhomba Singh, Leishram Ibmugomtomba Singh and Rajesh Singh from Siliguri. The group had committed robbery, around 3pm, in a Jewellery shop at Salt Lake area in Calcutta on August 27. Earlier, the arrested trio had committed robbery at MP Jeweller's branch at G S road in Guwahati city on May 9.

The BSF personnel recovered suspected FICN with a face-value of INR 690,000 being smuggled from Bangladesh in Malda District. Acting on a tip off, the border guards were keeping a watch at a place in Churiantpur border outpost last night and found someone from Bangladesh side dropped two packets and another person was coming to collect it from Indian side, a BSF release said.

BSF recovered country made weapons and bottles of cough syrup from Mehrani border outpost in Nadia District. Three 8 mm calibre handguns, some ammunition and 125 bottles of a cough syrup used as intoxicant were recovered, the release said.

Malda District

The DRI arrested a man, identified as Asikul Sekh recovered 198 FICNs along with a face value of INR 3.96 lakh from near India-Bangladesh border in Malda District of West Bengal. Investigations revealed that the FICNs were smuggled into India from Bangladesh. Acting on a tip-off, accused Asikul Sekh residing in Charianantpur village near the international border was intercepted at the New Farakka Railway Station late on Friday (November 3) evening, the official said. "The accused was to board the Malda Town-Patna Intercity Express. Two plastic packets were recovered from his possession which contained 198 fake notes of INR 2,000 denomination, totaling up to INR 3.96 lakh," the official said.

Howrah District

The NIA, Kolkata Branch, arrested four persons, identified as Barkat Ansari, Utpal Chowdhury, Fijul Mia and Rabjul along with FICN with a face value of INR 9.1 lakh (in the denomination of INR 2,000) from the vicinity of the Howrah Railway Station in Howrah District. All four accused are residents of Sattari village in Malda District.

Kolkata railway station / Kolkata District

Kolkata Police busted a module of the ABT - a group banned in Bangladesh for killing secular bloggers - and arrested three of its members who were in the city to buy arms and chemicals from Kolkata railway station in Kolkata District. Two of the arrested are Bangladeshi nationals, identified as Samsad Mian alias Tanvir (26) and Rizaul Islam alias Riyaz alias Suman (25) and the third is an Indian, identified as Manotosh De alias Monda (42). All the three accused were arrested after three days of tracking following tip-offs from the IB during two of this year's biggest festivals in Kolkata: the first came on Nabami, September 29, and the second a couple of days before the start of the Fifa U-17 World Cup in October.

According to officials, the three men have been working in close coordination with the AQIS, a wing of the global al Qaeda having active presence in Bangladesh and believed to be behind much of the available jihadi literature in Bengali. STF officials claimed they had found papers mentioning some of the more important places in the city, including Esplanade bus terminus and Eden Gardens, where the India-Sri Lanka cricket match ended on November 20.

The Indian national, Manotosh De alias Monda (42), a resident of Kholapota in Basirhat, was into arms smuggling, officials said. But the biggest catch for officials is Samsad Mian alias Tanvir (26), a resident of Bangladesh's Sylhet: this civil engineer was found with a fake Aadhaar Card. "A separate probe on the fake card has been launched. He did not have a genuine passport or visa," STF Deputy Commissioner Murlidhar Sharma said. Samsad is believed to be the "amir" (head) of the ABT's explosives wing and is responsible for the group's revival after a major crackdown in Bangladesh. "We are ascertaining with Bangladesh cops whether he is named in any FIR there," a top Lalbazar official said. Rizaul Islam alias Riyaz alias Suman (25), a madrasa-educated youth of Khulna (Bangladesh) is believed to have come to India on successful reconnaissance missions in the past. "Both Samsad and Rizaul have been staying in India for the past one-and-a-half years after crossing the International Border (IB). They have visited at least three other Indian cities, including Patna, Ranchi and Hyderabad. We have not yet been able to establish any particular assignment they may have had in Kolkata but the Bangladeshis and the Indian were in touch. The Bangladeshis approached Manotosh De for arms and an initial demonstration might have been completed. They were coming to Kolkata as part of a deal. Further questioning will reveal more details," Sharma said.

Kolkata

A Kolkata court (West Bengal) remanded two suspected members of banned Bangladeshi terror group ABT and their Indian accomplice in 14 days of Police custody. The trio, who were arrested by the STF of the city Police from Kolkata railway station on November 21, were sent to Police custody till December 5 by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Satya Arnab Ghosal. Seeking their remand, public prosecutor Pijush Kanti Mondal submitted that Bangladeshi citizens Samsad Mia and Rizaul Islam were suspected members of ABT, while their Indian accomplice Manotosh Dey was an arms dealer. He submitted that all the three were arrested when they met at Kolkata railway station in the northern part of the city to discuss an arms deal.

Mondal stated that documents related to terror outfit al Qaeda were recovered from the two Bangladeshis, who were also allegedly in possession of some Aadhaar cards. The three persons have been arrested under the Arms Act and accused of forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Sealdah station / Kolkata District

A fourth Bangladeshi national with suspected al Qaeda links was arrested by Kolkata Police STF near Sealdah station in Kolkata District. This comes days after three persons, including two suspected members of Bangladesh-based Islamist group ABT, were arrested on November 21 from the Kolkata railway station. The arrested person was identified as Sahadat Hossain (26) a resident of Benapole port in Bangladesh. The development came after the two ABT operatives, arrested on November 21, admitted that they had illegally infiltrated into the Indian territory from the Bangladesh border.

The Police are on the lookout for two more persons - Shopon Biswas alias Sajol Ahmed alias Moon alias Tamim (23) and Nayan Gazi alias Zafor alias Safik alias Saiful alias Ariful Gazi (28). "We are now looking for Gazi. Both Gazi and Biswas are ABT members and had put up at a hotel in Howrah in the first week of October. They may be taking shelter anywhere in India and if anyone gives any lead, will be rewarded suitably," said Murlidhar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner (STF) said.

West Bengal

An alleged operative of ABT-Omar Farooq alias Mohammad Aftab Khan has been arrested by the Kolkata Police's STF from the India-Nepal border. Including this, the total arrests made in alleged connection with ABT-a banned Bangladeshi terror outfit has increased to five.

Aftab was an expert in IEDs and belongs to the explosives wing of the ABT outfit, said an official. Last week, the Kolkata STF arrested other two members of ABT from Kolkata railway station and seized fake identity cards and arms from their possession. These terrorists were suspected with their involvement in the killings of bloggers and writers in Bangladesh.

Kolkata

IS operative Mohammad Mosiuddin alias Abu Musa attacked and tried to slit the throat of a jail guard inside the Alipore Central jail in Kolkata. As per the morning routine, the prison inmates took out of the cells over to grounds inside the jail premises. The jail guard, Gobinda Chandra Dey (45 years-old), opened Musa's cell and Musa attacked him with a stone. Following the attack, Gobinda Dey stumbled on ground and Musa tried to slit his throat with a piece of metal in 'IS fashion'. Other guards and inmates managed to hold over Musa and Dey was taken to a nursing home. Abu Musa will be kept in solitary confinement and probe will be initiated on how Musa got hold of the piece of metal inside the jail, said DG & IG Correctional Services Arun Kumar Gupta. He was arrested by the NIA from Viswabharati Fast Passenger train at Burdwan in West Bengal on July 5, 2016. His other aliases include Mosiruddin alias Mosi alias Majnu.

Murshidabad district

In total 400 FICN of Rs. 2,000 denominations with worth of Rs. 8 Lakh were recovered by the DRI, with an arrest of two individuals from Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Acting upon the intelligence inputs, the team of DRI arrested an unidentified man (25 years-old) carrying the FICN at Chander crossing of NH-34 in Murshidabad district (West Bengal). The accused-resident of area bordering India-Bangladesh border, revealed that the FICNs were smuggled into India from Bangladesh and he was travelling to Kolkata for delivering these FICNs to another person, said an official of DRI. The DRI investigators arrested the second person-resident of area close to India-Nepal border in Bihar, in this matter.

West Bengal

West Bengal security agencies have launched raids in four districts bordering Bangladesh to arrest more than 70 touts involved in making Indian passports from fake voter IDs and Aadhaar cards for alleged Bangladeshi criminals and terror operatives sneaking into India. According to sources, interrogation of four Bangladeshi nationals arrested recently at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA) at Kolkata revealed that over 70 touts in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda districts of West Bengal are involved in making passports for Bangladeshis with the help of fake Aadhaar and voter ID cards. Police sources revealed that most of the Bangladeshi applicants for Indian passports have criminal records at Bangladesh Police Stations and want to seek refuge in India to flee prosecution in their nation. The investigation has found that while many of these criminals have terror links, several others are on the radar of Islamic terror organisations who want to recruit them like LeT recruited petty criminal Ajmal Kasab for the 26/11 Mumbai attack. "The four Bangladeshis revealed that the touts lend their addresses in the fake documents and charged Rs 30,000 for making the passports. We have identified the 70 touts involved in this racket and have found their links with Bangladesh-based terror organisations such as JMB and HuJI. We have launched raids at several locations in the four districts. We hope to arrest the accused soon," a senior Police Official told.

The Calcutta High Court on December 18 rejected the bail plea of Musa alias Mohammad Mosiuddin-an IS operative, who planned to attack 'Mother House' in Kolkata and other locations in West Bengal. Opposing the bail plea, the NIA's counsel Sanjay Bardhan submitted the charges before the division bench, with a request that charges against Musa are of serious nature as he had attacked the jail warden of Alipore Central Correctional Home on December 4, 2017. Musa allegedly planned to attack the 'Mother House' and the headquarters of 'Missionaries of Charity' in Kolkata, said Bardhan. Musa was arrested in July 2016, along with firearms and sharp-edged weapons, by the West Bengal's CID squad while he was travelling to Birbhum district in West Bengal. Later, the investigation was taken-over by the NIA, which filed a chargesheet in December 2016, against Musa. Musa filed a bail application before the NIA's special court in May 2017 but it was rejected in the following month

The BSF arrested a smuggler, identified as Bishnupada Biswas, resident of Par Devanpur village, Baishnabnagar, Malda District (West Bengal) and recovered FICNs of worth INR 200,000 in Malda District. Acting upon the intelligence input regarding FICN smuggling in the area of Dhulian Ghat (ferry point). The search revealed a pack of 100 FICN in INR 2,000 denomination hid in his undergarments. The quality and security features of the FICN was similar to the earlier FICNs recovered by the BSF's South Bengal Frontier, said an unnamed BSF official. Reportedly, in 2017, the BSF's SBF has recovered FICNs worth INR 55,88,000 from nine smugglers.

The Indian security establishment is taking the threat issued by the AQIS in a recent video seriously, as it specifically asks 'jihadi' fighters to target the Indian Army outside its "small, secure area of Kashmir" by striking in cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru. "The specific call by AQIS spokesperson Usama Mahmoud, a Pakistani, asking Kashmiri 'fighters' and Muslims across the subcontinent to target the Army in Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru so that it 'comes to its senses' is reminiscent of IM's modus operandi of sending out warning letters and e-mails just before terror blasts in various Indian cities. So all necessary precautions are being taken," an unnamed intelligence official said.

The BSF arrested two unidentified persons with 325 FICNs of INR 2,000 denominations with worth INR 6.50 lakh from Happy More (turn-around) in Malda District of West Bengal. The seized FICNs and arrested persons were later handed-over to Kaliachak Police Station of Malda District. Reportedly in 2017, BSF South Bengal Frontier (SBF) arrested 11 persons and seized FICNs of worth INR 62 lakh.

Sl. No.

Date

Place

Incident

January 1

Malda

With Malda District emerging as the "capital' of FICN, the internal security committee in West Bengal has decided to meet officials of central agencies dealing with the issue in the state. The ED has started 30 cases of FICN smuggling in which the agency found links with terror modules and money laundering networks. In 2015, the BSF seized INR 2,60,82,000 of FICN from the Malda border alone and apprehended 24 couriers.

West Bengal

As investigators probe deeper into the fake passport racket of Baguiati (Kolkata), there is emerging evidence of a possible JMB link. Sources say Bangladeshi national Hafeez Sheikh alias Nur Mohammad, will play a pivotal role in understanding the modus operandi of the gang. "It is only his questioning that can lead us to the rest of the gang based in Noida," said an investigating officer. "We plan to send teams to Noida, Pathankot and Ludhiana to verify certain addresses. It is clear that several Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals have used fake passports prepared by him. In turn, someone must have collected used and expired passports from north Indian passport offices. We need to ascertain if there is a HuJI link to it because we have found certain numbers from Europe and the middle-east," informed a source.

Sheikh hails from Chittagong District in Bangladesh and seems to have used a real passport but fake visa to cross over to India through Nadia District in West Bengal. Hafeez came to Kolkata about two years ago and started a tour and travel business at Netaji Nagar in south Suburban Kolkata.

Posta / Kolkata

Five persons, including a suspected Bangladeshi national, have been arrested by the STF of Kolkata Police along with FICN having face value of INR 35,00,000. Acting on a tip off, the STF team conducted a raid at a businessman's house in Posta Police Station area limits and nabbed the five Trinath Mandal, Sanjay Mandal, Prabas Mandal, Pradip Mandal and Sanjay Singh along with FICN.

Kolkata

The central security agencies have raised an alarm against multiple placement agencies that have grown across Kolkata and border Districts. It was found that such agencies were involved in the Baguiati fake passport case and the FICN racket neutralised in Posta by the Kolkata Police STF. According to sources, these placement agencies were offering jobs to labourers using fake documents and then forcing them to become fake currency couriers. Several youths from Malda and Murshidabad Districts are employed as unskilled labourers in Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The FICN racketeers target these youths and use them as carriers.

Malda

A week into the Malda violence, NCB officials admitted that the West Bengal District remains a 'difficult area' for the agency to work in. "It is true that Malda has been a difficult area in terms of its communal aspect and the territorial reason. It is a sensitive belt…There is a lot of work to be done," NCB Deputy Director General (eastern zone) SK Sahu stated. Sahu said that since the money flow is high, the crime rate is also alarming in that region. "We do carry out sensitisation drives involving the state government and central agencies and constantly coordinate with them. We involve local panchayats (village councils) and include the local population into the economic process so that they don't indulge in such illegal drug business," he said.

Narcotics money is at the heart of lawlessness in Malda District bordering Bangladesh. The Police say a large portion of this drug money goes into buying sophisticated weapons smuggled through the porous Bangladesh border, and running hundreds of unrecognised madrasas (Islamic Seminary) in the District. Border areas like Golapganj, Baliadanga, Kaliachak, Mohabbatpur, Mothabari and Danga are now the epicentre of anti-national activities, because of flourishing drug trade. Be it peddling of FICN involving the local youth, illegal migration, drug and arms supply or smuggling, Malda is a bustling hub.

Malda

The Malda (West Bengal) District administration has begun a drive to destroy the extensive poppy cultivation in the District, as stated by senior officials of Excise Department. Senior officials said that poppy cultivated on nearly 500 acres had been destroyed in Kaliachak and adjoining areas over the past one week. "The drive started on January 5 and till today evening (January 13), 1,500 bighas (495 acres) of poppy cultivation has been destroyed in a joint operation where the police, BSF and excise department are involved," the official said.

Other than poppy cultivation, smuggling of FICN is also a major concern for law enforcement authorities in the District which shares a border with Bangladesh. FICN amounting approximately INR 30 million were seized in the District in 2015 and 105 cases were registered. Also, 187 cases of possessing illegal arms were registered in Malda in 2015.

Malda

The BSF in association with West Bengal Excise Department, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have begun destruction of poppy being cultivated close to the Indo-Bangladesh border in Kaliachak area of Malda District. Kaliachak is considered a major production centre for opium and a hub of cross-border smuggling. While narcotics are trafficked across the border to Bangladesh, FICN is received in return. This FICN is circulated from Kaliachak to the rest of the country.

Petrapole / North 24-Parganas

The BSF arrested two persons and seized a pistol and bullets near Petrapole in North 24-Parganas District. Two have been arrested by the on charges of carrying the illegal weapon with the intention to smuggle it to Bangladesh. Their vehicle was stopped and a search revealed a plastic bag with a country-made 9 mm pistol, a magazine and eight rounds of ammunition. The two men were also were also carrying three mobile phones.

Malda District

Intelligence officers of the BSF and Malda Police arrested a man, Enarul Islam, considered to be one of the key figures in the FICN smuggling ring that thrives across the India-Bangladesh border, along with FICN amounting to INR 8,00,000. Police cornered the accused, a Bangladeshi citizen, in the Baburhat area in the Malda District of West Bengal. The arrest took place under the Kaliachak Police Station jurisdiction.

Dubrajpur / Birbhum District

Two people lost their lives in an explosion while they were allegedly making crude bombs at Dubrajpur in Birbhum District of West Bengal. The Police have recovered a huge quantity of explosives from the site. Over the past one year, West Bengal has been under the scanner of security agencies as a "secure hideout" for agents of Pakistan's ISI. It is feared that that banned organisations like the JMB has spread its network in Howrah, and both North and South 24-Parganas Districts and set up organisational bases in Districts like Murshidabad, Nadia, Bardhaman and Birbhum.

West Bengal

The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) module that was busted recently by the NIA had attempted to procure arms from West Bengal. Investigators have learnt that while these youth who were arrested had planned on increasing the recruitments, they were also in touch with some operatives to procure arms from West Bengal. The job of procuring arms was assigned to one of the arrested operatives, Nafees Khan. He was told by his handlers to visit West Bengal and make contact with arms dealers. He was to visit the border areas of the state to get in touch with persons who supply illegal arms and ammunition, the investigators have learnt. The NIA during its probe had learnt that this communication relating to procurement of arms was found while deciphering the transcripts of these alleged ISIS operatives. There have also been financial transactions which suggest that money was being collected to procure arms and ammunition.

Mahadipur / Malda District

A Bangladesh national, Salim Reza was arrested by the BSF personnel of 20th battalion from the zero-point area of India-Bangladesh border near Mahadipur in English Bazaar Police Station in Malda District. BSF troopers confiscated two SIM cards, few Bangladesh currencies and a chit containing an address in Kaliachak from Reza, later he was handed over to English Bazaar Police. Police sources informed that the arrested Bangladesh national, who is a inhabitant of shialbari village of Shibganj Police station under ChapaiNababganj District in Bangladesh, tried to mislead the police by offering several different reasons for intruding to India.

Kaliachak / Malda District

Three persons arrested along with FICN of face value INR 3,00,000 from Kaliachak in West Bengal's Malda District.

West Bengal

The Islamic State (IS) module neutralised ahead of the Republic Day celebrations as part of the nationwide terror sweep, was active in West Bengal, said the NIA. The agency is currently trying to figure out whether the network was linked to JMB. "While interrogating the arrested persons, we found references to West Bengal. It seems that they had planned to procure weapons from the state," an NIA official said.

According to sources, NIA investigators initially did not get any lead on the JMB movements in West Bengal. But with time, more leads started coming in after the sleuths went through the mobile phone conversations of the arrested persons. While going through the conversations, investigators found that the arrested persons, allegedly IS operatives, wanted to procure weapons from West Bengal. The operatives also reportedly found a safe route to procure the weapons from the state.

Malda District

The BSF arrested a man near the Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda District along with FICNs of the face value of over INR 13,00,000. The man was seized by the troopers in the early hours in the Daulatpur border outpost area. The BSF so far in the year has seized over INR 27,00,000 FICN and apprehended six smugglers from across the South Bengal frontier.

Durgapur / Bardhaman District

NIA arrested one person, identified as 19 year old Asif Ahmad alias Raju Das from Durgapur in Bardhaman District of West Bengal on suspicions of having links with the Islamic State (IS). It is believed the youth was part of a network that helped plan terror strikes across India and ran an online training module. Acknowledging the youth's detention, NIA's IG Sanjeev Singh said agency and state CID officials, acting on a tip-off, reached Durgapur on February 23 and detained Asif. "He is presently under questioning. He is suspected of having links with IS. He used to stay in a rented accommodation in Durgapur under an alias," Singh said. Officials added that Asif's father Ishaq was also detained and the two are being questioned at the agency's office in Kolkata.

Bardhaman / West Bengal

The NIA is questioning a youth, identified as Asif Ahmed, pursuing a polytechnic course from a Bardhaman college of West Bengal in connection with its "open FIR" against Islamic State (IS). Ahmed, is suspected to be a member of Junud-al-Khilafa-e-Hind (JKH), a self-appointed franchise of IS. NIA sources said that Ahmed had been found to have interacted with other members of the group through social media and material related to IS propaganda had been found on his laptop.

Churianantpur border post / Malda District

The BSF seized FICN with face value exceeding INR 6,00,000 in an operations under the Churianantpur border post in Malda District of West Bengal. "Challenged by a BSF team, the miscreants coming from the Bangladesh side of the border managed to escape but we have seized the FICNs," said a BSF officer. The BSF so far in the year has seized over INR 57,00,000 in FICNs from across the South Bengal frontier and apprehended seven smugglers.

West Bengal

The NIA says FICN racket has spread into states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. In its chargesheet filed against five persons, the NIA says that these persons would source fake currency from Bangladesh. Further the NIA also stated that after completion of investigation against the arrested accused persons, it has been found that all of them are part of an interstate gang involved in the procurement and smuggling of fake currency from their associates in Bangladesh. After procuring and smuggling the same into India, the FICN was then circulated in various part of country especially in Maharashtra and Gujarat, by the members of the gang. Sushanta Sahu of Dhenkanal, Odisha, Uttam Kumar Sinha, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, Purushottam Kumar Keshri, Jharia, Jharkhand, Nishfal Mondal, Malda, West Bengal and Rameshwar Sahu, Giridih, Jharkhand have been named as accused in the chargesheet. The case is based on the seizure of FICN having face value of INR 10,01,000 effected by the official of DRI.

Malda District / West Bengal

The trail of FICN has been traced to Telangana and investigators say that it had first landed in Malda District of West Bengal from Bangladesh. The incident on hand has been reported from the Karimnagar District of Telangana. A car laden with FICN worth INR 2,30,000 had been seized and the Police also took into custody four persons. It was found that these persons had visited Malda and sourced the FICN. Investigations also showed that two persons had brought down one consignment by train while the other by bus. A majority of FICNs are pushed directly into Bangladesh from Pakistan from where it is sent to India. Malda has been the landing point due to the proximity to the Bangladesh border.

Burdwan District / West Bengal

The NIA arrested a student of mechanical engineering in Durgapur in Burdwan District of West Bengal, in connection with its case against the IS. A resident of Hooghly, Ashiq Ahmed was arrested by the agency after several days of questioning. He is alleged to be part of the JKH, a self-appointed IS "franchise" run on the directions of former IM operative Shafi Armar. Sources said Ahmed came in contact with Mohammed Nafees Khan, 'finance chief' of JKH, while surfing jihadi videos over the internet. Khan, who is currently under arrest, reportedly met Ahmed in Kolkata and got him appointed as 'chief' of JKH's Bengal unit.

Malda District / West Bengal

The officials of the CB of CID arrested three persons, identified as Abdul Ismail, Riswan Sheriff and Mohamed Rafiq along with FICN in denominations of 500 and 1,000 with face value of INR 9,99,500 from Korupkupet railway station in Chennai from Guwahati- Bengaluru Express. CB-CID officials said that the three had procured the notes from a person residing in Malda District of West Bengal. The CB-CID sources indicated that the counterfeit notes could have originated from Bangladesh, the country through which FICN printed in Pakistan has been finding way to India through porous border.

Malda / West Bengal

CB-CID arrested three persons in connection with FICN racket in Chennai (Tamil Nadu). Siddique, Syed and Ganesh were arrested after a tip-off from the personnel of the OCIU. The counterfeit currency wing of the CB-CID took over from there and arrested them. "FICNs are brought into the country through the permeable Indo-Bangladesh borders to Malda in West Bengal from where they are ferried to other parts of the country," a Police officer said.

The trail of FICNs entering Mumbai has led the Police to new players, illegal Bangladeshi migrants working as construction labourers and house help. According to sources, the porous international border in West Bengal's Malda District is the main route for smuggling FICN into the country. Illegal migrants, Police claimed, visit their villages in Bangladesh frequently and carry fake currency notes on their way back into the city, which they eventually spend in the city. In the first two months of 2016, the Mumbai Police have seized FICN worth INR 318,000 in five separate cases. Nine people have been arrested.

West Bengal

Three people, identified as Harish Kumar, Pankaj Narain and Kanwaljeet Singh were arrested in Uttam Nagar area of Delhi along with FICN with a face value of INR 282,000. "The fake currency notes were in the denomination of INR 1,000 and INR 500. It was routed through West Bengal and Bihar," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Kumar said. "Harish Kumar informed during interrogation that he met with one Arjun Sharma who introduced him with one Munna Bhaiya, a kingpin based in Bettiah in Bihar, in 2015 who allured and induced him to join the illegal syndicate to earn quick bucks," said the officer. Kumar then started bringing FICN to Delhi in small quantity and circulated it himself in the local or weekly markets of Delhi and NCR as per the direction of his boss, the officer said. Kumar later organised his network comprising some young boys for circulation of FICN in Delhi.

Concerned over circulation of FICN, the Centre has intensified vigil along Indo-Bangladesh border, especially in West Bengal, which has emerged as a major transit point for smuggling counterfeit notes. Pakistan's ISI has been actively pumping fake notes into India and central security agencies are alarmed at the new routes being taken by the spy agency to unleash economic terror. The Union Cabinet on approved transfer of 58.81 acre land, belonging to the Farakka Barrage Project in Malda, to BSF, which guards the international border. The BSF will set up a battalion headquarters in Malda District of West Bengal.

The journey of FICN starts from Pakistan and reaches Bangladesh by air or sea and then reaches India through West Bengal's border District Malda, official sources said. FICN having the face value of INR 9 crore was seized in West Bengal in 2015, setting the alarm bells ringing in security establishment. Printing fake INR 100 note costs about INR 25-30. The major states where the fake Indian currency notes are in circulation are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Malda District

Police arrested a businessman of Delhi, identified as Asgar Khan, from Bajeyapti village under Baishnabnagar Police Station along with FICN amounting INR 1,35,000. "Khan, a businessman from Gandhinagar area in Delhi came to Malda on two occasions earlier too and stayed in a hotel. This time too he stayed in a hotel and went to Baishnabnagar and Kaliachak to collect the FICN from some peddlers. As we had information about his suspicious movements, we laid a trap for Khan and he was arrested with FICN," said a senior Police official.

Kaliachak market area / Malda District

In a joint operation with Kaliachak Police a team of Mumbai Police arrested a suspected kingpin of a FICN circulation racket from Kaliachak market area in Malda District. FICN of INR 1500 was seized from the Rezzaque Ali. He was produced in court and taken on transit remand for seven days by Mumbai Police.

Malda District

In border outpost Daulatpur of Malda District, BSF troopers seized FICN, being of 1000 and 500 rupee denomination, amounting to nearly INR 20,00,000 being smuggled into India from Bangladesh. Upon being challenged to stop, the miscreants managed to flee leaving behind the money bag. After a thorough search, the BSF ambush party recovered a bag containing FICN wrapped in plastic. The seized currency has been handed over to Police for further action. So far, BSF South Bengal Frontier has seized fake currency of the face value of over INR 97,00,000 during 2016.

Bardhaman District

In its investigation into the October 2, 2014 blast at Bardhaman District of West Bengal the NIA could have stumbled upon the mastermind behind Islamic State (IS) operations in India. The NIA recently submitted its third supplementary charge sheet to the case, naming Enamul Mollah among others. The 25-year-old could be the key to Indian activities of IS, which has declared itself an independent "Caliphate". In the chargesheet, the NIA pointed out that of the 30 persons named, 20 have been arrested but 10 others are absconding, of who six are believed to be in Bangladesh.

During the course of its investigation, NIA stumbled upon some interesting facts about Mollah. The investigators believe, as an active member of the JMB, he organised number of pro-IS programmes at Bardhaman even before the blast.

Bardhaman District

The NIA which has been probing the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast says that the smaller modules of JMB are now heavily engaging in propaganda instead of preparing bombs like they did earlier. While the bomb making industries of the JMB have come to a halt due to an extensive crack down, investigators fear that smaller modules now may be engaging in a propaganda battle.

Enamul Mollah, a JMB operative, who was recently chargesheeted in the Bardhaman case according to the NIA is a highly radicalised youth. He is alleged to have set up small modules which would indulge in propaganda war. It has been happening on a smaller scale, but if these modules succeed, then there is a good chance that the situation could flare up as there could be many takers in West Bengal. Enamul Mollah a resident of South 24 Parganas according to investigations is a highly motivated cadre of JMB. He has also been involved in harbouring of absconders of JMB. He had been in constant communication with absconding accused persons Moulana Yousuf and Abul Kalam @ Ibrahim and arranged shelter for them after the Bardhaman Blast. He assisted in recruiting new members for JMB and also spread their agenda by circulating Jihadi material. He arranged for a radicalisation program where the accused Kausar delivered jihadi speeches, the NIA also states.

Bakhrahat area /Thakurpur / South 24 Parganas District

The Kolkata Police arrested two persons, identified as Kamalesh Dey and Raja Mondal along with FICN at Bakhrahat area under Thakurpur Police Station limits. Police seized as many as 19 pieces of fake 100 rupee-notes from their possession. Later on June 8, when Police conducted raid at their residence in Kolkata's Entally area, few fake currency printing machines were recovered.

Kabu

An Indian female aid worker, identified as Judith D' Souza who was abducted by suspected militants in Kabul on June 9 remained untraceable even as Afghan authorities continued efforts to secure her safe release. Judith D'Souza, working for Aga Khan Foundation as senior technical adviser, was abducted along with two other people outside her office in Taimani area of Kabul on June 9 evening. The MEA is in touch with the Afghan authorities to ensure release of 40-year-old Judith, a resident of Kolkata (West Bengal). So far, no group has claimed responsibility for her abduction.

Malda District / West Bengal

BSF personnel seized FICN worth INR 198,000 from Baishnabnagar in Malda District of West Bengal. In 2016, the BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized FICN of face value INR 1,02,20,500 and apprehended seven smugglers. "On Monday, troops of the 24Bn BSF, posted at Border Outpost Sasani in the Baishnabnagar police station area, received information of smuggling of FICN from across the Indo-Bangladesh border. He was identified as Sajal Singha (20), a resident of Jamaipara village in Sabdalpur," a senior BSF official said. On searching Singha, the BSF personnel recovered two bundles wrapped in black polythene.

Hooghly

Engineering student Aashiq Ahmed, arrested by the NIA from Hooghly in West Bengal for being part of Islamic State (IS), had plans to kill the Trinamool Congress MLA from Hooghly, Asima Patra, as he suspected her role in the murder of another TMC leader Kazi Naseeruddin in 2013. Naseeruddin was arrested by Dhanekala Police Station in 2013 and died in custody. According to Aashiq, Naseeruddin was a "very powerful and popular leader from his locality. He was implicated in a false case in connivance with the local police and murdered inside the police lock-up," he is believed to have said. According to NIA, Aashiq had plans to kidnap the MLA and demand extortion for her release as part of Mal-e-Ganimat (war-booty).

Murshidabad District

The BSF arrested a youth, identified as Sheikh Morjem and seized FICN of the face value of INR 1,00,000 from him at New Farakka railway station in Murshidabad District in West Bengal. The BSF so far in the year has seized FICN of the face value exceeding INR 1 crore and apprehended 9 smugglers from across its South Bengal frontier zone.

Cooochbehar District

In the wake of terror attack in Dhaka, the BSF of North Bengal Frontier has increased security arrangements in 199 BOP's including Indo-Bangladesh border near Mekhligunj in Cooochbehar District of West Bengal. According to Suresh Kumar, the senior official of BSF, 13 Battalion, after the militants attack in Bangladesh security, has been tightened along the Indo-Bangladesh border. "BSF is putting a strong vigil over the border lines to avoid any unwanted incident. Our jawans are on high alert, doing duties around the clock in fenced, unfenced and also in the riverine areas. We are also using speed boats and country made boats in the riverine borders," Kumar said. He also said that the BSF is also in contact with the local Police which help us the joint operations.

Burdwan District

Burdwan Police and officials of GRP arrested a 23-year-old terror suspect from the Viswabharati Fast Passenger train at Burdwan railway station in Burdwan District of West Bengal. Sources said that he was travelling to Labhpur in Birbhum District and boarded the train from Howrah station. Sources added that sleuths followed the man from Howrah. According to Police sources, Police and GRP officials interrogated the man throughout Monday night (July 4) and found that he came from Chennai (Tamil Nadu). They also said that he is fluent in seven to eight languages. He was brought to the headquarters of CID in Kolkata for further interrogation. Officials said the NIA and IB have been informed about the arrest.

West Bengal

Bangladesh sent a list of 11 JMB terrorists who may have sneaked into West Bengal after the terror attack at a café in Dhaka to the NIA and the IB. The Awami League Government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent the list with sketches of the 11 terrorists who were said to have links with religious outfits in West Bengal and may have entered the State to seek refuge in Malda, Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas Districts.

Police chiefs of Malda and Murshidabad, which share borders with Rajshahi in Bangladesh, and North 24 Parganas, which is contiguous with Saatkhira, considered to be JMB strongholds, held meetings with the BGB.The NIA and BSF also informed their counterparts in Bangladesh about the terror camps being run in Saatkhira, Rajshahi and Jhenaidaha Districts of Bangladesh.

Bardhaman

The suspected terrorist arrested from Viswabharati Fast Passenger train at Bardhaman station has links with Islamic State (IS) and JMB, the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department said. A resident of Labhpur in Birbhum District, 25-year-old Mosiruddin alias Mosi alias Majnu, has admitted to having links with top IS leaders and the JMB through e-mails, social networking sites and mobile phones, DIG (CID) Dilip Adak stated. "We are not ruling out his link with the IS. A 13-inch chopper, an improvised small firearm and three rounds of cartridges were recovered from him," Adak stated.

Labhpur / Birbhum District

Two Islamic State (IS) operatives, identified as Saddam Hossain alias Kallu, and Mohammed Abbasuddin alias Amin were arrested from Labhpur in Birbhum District, DIG (CID) Dilip Adak said. The two were allegedly recruited by Mosiruddin, another IS operative arrested a day earlier. Mosiruddin was produced at a Howrah court, which remanded him in Police custody for 14 days. Kallu and Amin were also charged with sedition. A CID officer said Mosiruddin had received several phone calls from Syria, Iraq and Bangladesh. According to sources, Mosiruddin revealed during interrogation that a "list" was being prepared of top IPS officers. "But he didn't say why that list is being prepared. We are checking whether he was lying to confuse us," an officer said.

West Bengal

JMB, responsible for the July 1, 2016 Dhaka poses a real threat to India as well, especially bordering states like West Bengal and Assam. Investigators said six JMB leaders, who formed units in Bardhaman District of West Bengal, are still absconding and they could plan the attacks.

Malda District

The interrogation of suspected Islamic State (IS) operative, Masiuddin, alias Musa, has revealed that the accused had close links with Mohammad Suleiman, who is an important member of JMB module as well as with Yousuf, who is a top member of the AuT. Three months back, Musa had met Suleiman at a reception ceremony in Malda District of West Bengal.

West Bengal

The 10 Bangladeshi youths who are missing for months and feared to have been recruited by terror outfits like Huji or JMB and trained in the Islamic State (IS) module, are believed to be hiding in West Bengal and the Bangladesh Government has shared their details with Delhi. Vigil has been intensified at the Indo-Bangladesh border in Malda, Murshidabad and North 24-Parganas Districts following the Bangladeshi alert. The youths, most of them belong to upper middle class families and are aged 18-26 years were identified as Md Basaruzzaman, Junayed Khan, Jubayedur Rahim, Ibrahim Hasan Khan and Asraf Mahmmad Islam of Dhaka; Tamim Ahmed Choudhury and Saifullah Ojaki of Srihatta; Najibullah Ansari of Chapai Nawab Gunj and Tajuddin of Lakshmipur. Areas like Hili, Changrabandha, Malda and Murshidabad have been identified as potential hiding zones.

Unemployed youth, preferably from Muslim community, are being roped in by handlers of terror groups like Islamic State (IS) and JMB to expand their networks in border Districts of West Bengal. The recent arrest of 25-year-old Mohammed Musiruddin has exposed the presence of the terror group in the state, particularly in the districts bordering Bangladesh including Bardhaman, Murshidabad and Birbhum, a CID official of West Bengal said. The group has also spread its tentacles in different pockets of the city, the official said describing the Khagragarh blast in 2014 as a clinching proof of the existence of its bases in the state.

A middleman, Abdul Baqi Mondal linked to various Pakistan-based terror outfits including JeM and HM was arrested by Police from the Indo-Bangladesh border near Basirhat in North 24-Parganas District. Mondal, who was in 2005 arrested and jailed for sheltering six JeM terrorists who had been subsequently killed during an attack on the Ayodhya shrine, marks a breakthrough in the infiltration racket. Mondal was hiding in Matia, a border village, when Basirhat Police accompanied by a special team raided it following a tip-off.

A special court has framed charges against 30 persons in October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case under the UAPA and the Arms Act, adding that the trial in the case would begin on August 19. Charges were framed against 30 accused - of whom 20 are in custody while 10 continue to abscond - by Chief Judge Suvra Ghosh, NIA counsel Shyamal Ghosh said. According to the counsel, the accused were "indirectly or directly involved with the JMB and aimed to destabilize the Bangladeshi government by trying to utilise Indian soil".

The charges were framed under the IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 125 (offences related to SAARC countries) besides, sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act), 17 (punishment for raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (punishment for conspiracy) and 20 (punishment for being members of terrorist group) of the UAPA Act. Charges were also slapped under Section 5 (punishment for making and possessing explosives) of the Explosive Substances Act along with Section 25 (1b) of the Arms Act, he said. During investigation, statements of 460 witnesses were recorded and over 6,500 documents and material evidence were produced before the court.

Kolkata

Kolkata Police has decided to recruit around 100 software and networking experts on contract for its STF that will keep an eye on activities of terror recruitment on the Internet. The West Bengal Home Department has given its node to the Kolkata Police for an immediate recruitment of 40 such experts on contract in the initial stage. The move was initiated after Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar stressed on the need for better monitoring of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter where the police believe terror groups "spot" potential recruits.

West Bengal

Illicit poppy cultivation in the border districts of West Bengal and smuggling of the contraband across the border to Bangladesh and elsewhere are worrying intelligence authorities because it has turned out to be among the principal sources of funds for terror outfits like the JMB. CID sources stated that the strategic position of these districts facilitated rise in illegal cultivation of poppy, which "has become a major fund generating business drawing several hundreds of youths into it". Apart from Malda District's Ratua, Kaliachak and Baishnabnagar, poppy is also allegedly secretly grown at Nowada and Beldanga in Murshidabad District besides Dubrajpur, Ilambazar and Kankartala in Birbhum District.

Kaliachak area / Malda District

A special team of Police raided the house of Alim Sheikh in Kaliachak area of Malda District, and seized two improvised firearms (one 9 am and another 7 mm) along with four live ammunitions two each for those firearms. Arnab Ghosh, the SP said that Sheikh was earlier arrested on August 5, along with FICN amounting INR 91,000. "He has multiple criminal records and he would further be grilled," Ghosh said.

The SP, Malda also said that a special team was constituted two weeks back with an eye to curbing the crimes in Kaliachak. "Although raids are being constituted across the district, the emphasis is especially on different areas under Kaliachak police station. In last three weeks district police have executed 750 non-bailable warrants and another 750 persons with cognizable crime records were booked too. 13 firearms and 33 ammunitions were seized also," he said.

Malda District

The NIA arrested one person, identified as Rubel Mia (25), wanted for involvement in a FICN supply ring operated from Bangladesh, from his residence in Malda District of West Bengal. Later, an NIA Special Court sent him to 6-day Police remand. Sources said, Rubel was the main courier for bringing counterfeit notes across the Indo-Bangladesh border and supplying it to dealers in West Bengal. The FICN would then reach other states.

While NIA has already arrested six persons in the case, Rubel and three others, Prashanto Mondal, Ashok Gupta and Anarul were absconding. A reward of INR 25000 each was announced on them last month. NIA sources say that the fake currency notes originated in Pakistan, with the main conspirators based there.

Kolkata

A Bangladesh intelligence team has arrived in Kolkata to interrogate the suspected Islamic State (IS) operative Mohammad Maisuddin alias Musa who was remanded to the custody of the NIA for two days by a city court. However, his counsel said that the remand to NIA custody was "totally pointless" as Musa had already spent more than a month in Police custody. "An intelligence team from Bangladesh including officials of the RAB, which is probing the recent terror attack in Dhaka, arrived in the city on Monday to interrogate Mr. Maisuddin," said an official involved in the investigation.

Kolkata

The mastermind behind the Holey Artisan attack in Dhaka and the murder of English professor Rezaul Karim at Rajshahi university is fugitive JMB leader Mohammed Suleiman, a key Islamic State (IS) operative arrested in India revealed. Indian national Mohammad Masiuddin alias Abu Musa told his interrogators that the April 23 killing of the professor and the July 1 attack on the upmarket cafe in Dhaka were linked to Suleiman, this is the first time such a claim has come to light. Musa also told investigators that Suleiman who had asked him to carry out 'lone wolf' attacks on foreigners in India travelled to Kolkata (West Bengal) two days after the professor's murder and stayed at a hotel and was accompanied by another yet to be identified person associated with the jihadi outfit and IS.

Agencies are trying to ascertain whether the person staying with Suleiman was Abu Ibrahim Al-Hanif alias Tamim Chowdhury, the emir (chief) of Islamic State (Bangladesh). Bangladesh has already expressed apprehension that Suleiman and Canadian-Bangladeshi Tamim could be hiding in India. Sources said Musa's latest revelation gives credence to Bangladesh's suspicion that Islamic State leaders associated with JMB used India as a "hideout". The photographs and other details have already been shared by Bangladeshi authorities with their Indian counterparts.

Kaliachak area / Malda District

Two persons, identified as Abdul Karim Khan and Babul Sheikh were arrested and FICN with the face value of INR 3,80,000 were recovered from them by BSF personnel from Kaliachak area of Malda District. Arrested persons were later handed over to the Police, the BSF said. "On August 23, information was received by BSF regarding smuggling of FICN near the border outpost at Gulabganj. The BSF along with local police launched a special operation in the area near GBS High Madrasa at Baburbana under Kaliachak police station area, Malda," the press statement said. Two suspects were coming from Gulabganj to Kaliachak on a motorcycle when they were challenged by the operation party.

The BSF arrested two persons, identified as Subroto Mondal and Palash Mondal for their alleged involvement in the smuggling of FICN in Farakka area in the Malda District. FICN amounting INR 1,37,000 was recovered from them. Acting on a tip off, a joint operation was conducted by the troops of Sector Headquarters BSF Malda, 24 Battalion BSF and Police personnel from Baishnabnagar Police Station at Farakka PTS More (Township More) in the Malda District, a statement released by the BSF said.

Both are residents of Khutipara area of Churiantpur, a village on the international border with Bangladesh in Malda District. The BSF, South Bengal Frontier, so far in 2016, seized FICN with a face value of INR 1,15,31,000 and arrested 13 smugglers.

Six top JMB militants, including three of Indian origin, were arrested from Assam and West Bengal. Acting on a tip off, one JMB militant, identified as Jahidul S. alias Jabirul was arrested from Cachar District in Assam on September 24. Following his interrogation, Moulana Yusuf alias Abu Khetab and Shahidul Islam were arrested from Bashirhat, and Anwar Hossain Farook and Mohammad Rubel from Bagda road in Bangaon, both in North 24 Parganas District on September 25. "STF of Kolkata Police has arrested six Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh terrorists," Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Visal Garg said. "These six are part of the top leadership of JMB," he said, adding five of them are named in the chargesheet filed by the NIA in the Khagragarh blast case in Burdwan District on October 2, 2014. Police recovered a laptop, mobile phones, SD cards, wires, detonators, a powder like substance and fake identity documents from them. "The powder like substance can be explosive. We will get it examined by experts," said Garg.

The arrested militants included Anwar Hossain Farook of Jamalpur in Bangladesh, who was the head of the JMB unit in West Bengal. Another arrested militant was Moulana Yusuf alias Abu Khetab from Mangalkot of Burdwan District, the second in command in JMB. The other four are Shahidul Islam, the head of JMB's North Eastern unit, Mohammad Rubel - an expert in improvised explosive devices - hailing from Jamalpur in Bangladesh, Abul Kalam from Barpeta District in Assam and Jahidul S. alias Jabirul from Bangladesh. Garg said the STF was keeping an eye on JMB activities and tracking those who had absconded to the northeastern or southern India hideouts.

The NIA arrested one of the top ringleaders of FICN racket, at a location in Jessore Road in North 24 Parganas District. The arrested person, identified as Ashim Kumar Saha, is a native of Malda District. The NIA will look into whether the accused has any terror links and his interrogations are likely to reveal whether there are links between fake currency note rackets, operating mainly in Malda and terror modules from across the border.

`The BSF seized FICN valued at around INR 5,00,000 from a border outpost in Malda District while it was being smuggled from Bangladesh to India. The BSF received an information regarding smuggling of FICN in the area of Border Out Post near Kaliachak, in Malda District. During an ambush operation, the personnel observed suspicious movements on both sides of the Indo-Bangladesh Border fence wherein two persons came near the fence from Bangladesh side and threw a bundle over to the Indian side. Miscreants hidden on the Indian side tried to collect the bundle, but the ambush party challenged them.

In an incident of smuggling of weapon in the area of Baishnavnagar in Malda District, the BSF laid a trap near the Indo-Bangladesh Border fence where one person came near the fence from Bangladesh side and threw a bundle over to the Indian side. The patrolling party searched the area and recovered one Country Made Pistol along with one magazine wrapped with cloth.

Following the arrest of six JMB operatives, Kolkata Police said that there are still two modules in South India which need to neutralized. Operatives of the JMB have often sought shelter in South India after carrying out an operation in West Bengal or Bangladesh. The traces of JMB operatives entering South India have been discovered on more than two occasions. While the JMB which has tied up with the Islamic State (IS), has decided on establishing the Bengal Caliphate, it also nurtures plans in South India. Officials say that they are on the look for three operatives who could have moved into South India. Maulana Yusuf, Nasirullah and Kausar are the three men on the Police radar. It is suspected that these people may have crossed over into South India with an intention of setting up a module.

The security agencies of India and Bangladesh are sharing all available intelligence inputs on the activities of the terrorist outfits on day to day basis and the move is yielding the desired results as a number of JMB operatives have been apprehended on the basis of such inputs. Security sources said that the Islamic State (IS) has managed to establish its foothold in Bangladesh with the help of a faction of the JMB, which is a cause of concern for India.

Sources said that according to information available with the Indian security agencies, a faction of the JMB has shifted its allegiance to the IS and the Government of Bangladesh term the members of that faction as the "New JMB". This is also a matter of concern for India as the possibility of the IS backed outfit trying to expand its base to the Northeast and West Bengal cannot be ruled out. Sources further pointed out that the JMB has always been trying to establish its bases in India, particularly in Assam and West Bengal, which was proved by arrests of a number of members of the outfit in both the states. But if the members of the IS-backed faction of the JMB also manage to sneak into India by taking advantage of the porous international border, it would pose a serious security threat to India, sources admitted.

Three persons were arrested along with FICN in separate incidents in a joint operation by the intelligence wing of the BSF and the NIA from Farakka in Murshidabad District and Kaliachak in Malda District. It has been learnt from sources that those persons were identified as Rasid Sheikh, Taleb Ali and Mohammed Lalchand Sheikh. Acting on a tip off the officials of the 'G' wing of BSF and the NIA raided a locality adjacent to Farakka railway station. Rasid Sheikh and Taleb Ali were arrested from there with FICN amounting 2, 13,000. After interrogating the duo, the special operation team arrested Mohammed Lalchand Sheikh from his house at Hasnabad village of Uttar Laxmipur under Kaliachak Police Station. After intensive interrogation all three of them were handed over to Kaliachak Police.

Police unearthed an illegal arms manufacturing unit at a house in the Amtala area of Canning in South 24 Parganas District and arrested the owner of the house, Abu Siddiqui. The factory was busted following information revealed by a miscreant identified as Shamsuddin Sardar, who was arrested earlier in the day from the Dharmatala area of Gopalpur in Canning, Police said. Five revolvers, lathe and drill machines, a dice used in manufacturing of one-shotter guns and plenty of revolver-making parts and raw material were seized from the house.

"Apart from these, FICN with face value of INR 20,000 were also seized from Abu Siddiqui...Preliminary investigations have revealed that he used to sell illegal arms in the Sunderbans and in North 24 Parganas district," a senior police officer said.

With this, four illegal arms-manufacturing factories have been neutralised by Police at Maheshtala, Baruipur and Canning in South 24 Parganas District. "We are interrogating the factory-owner to ascertain if he had any links with the illegal arms factories at Maheshtala and Baruipur or, if has any contacts with illegal gun-movers and makers in Bihar's Munger," Additional Superintendent of Police (East) Arijit Sinha said.

India

After arresting over 50 suspects for conspiring to set-up terror modules inspired by the Islamic State (IS) or for providing material support to the militant group, the NIA has identified another 130 radicalised individuals, believed to be in contact with the accused. This watch list is a "preemptive measure" by the agency to track and monitor these individuals.

The individuals on the watch list have not participated in any incriminating activities till now. They are, however, active on the social media and have made efforts on ground to gather support for IS, officials said. "They've tried to gather support for IS online and offline and enroll other members. They themselves, however, have refrained from joining any module,'' they added. The decision to put these individuals under surveillance was taken recently, after a few names cropped up frequently during interrogations. Consequently, the NIA wrote to police authorities in nine states - Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Haryana - asking them to monitor these supporters.

Kolkata

NIA, probing October 2, 2014 Khagragarh blast, wants the terrorists arrested by Kolkata Police's Special Task Force in their custody. NIA's demand came after one of the terrorists, Anwar Hussain Faruk, made a revelation -a so-called defunct Bangladesh-based outfit, Shahadat-e-al-Hikma has been training new recruits of different terror organisations of the sub-continent. According to Bangladesh home department, this outfit was initially funded by Dawood Ibrahim. Investigators said most of the terrorists in the country are indoctrinated by this group. Interestingly, it doesn't even exist in the sub-continent's terror map.

Bardhaman District

The NIA took over custody of five suspected operatives of JMB connection with the October 2, 2014 Khagragarh (Bardhaman District) blast. They have been identified as, Moulana Yousuf, Jahidul Sheikh alias Zafar alias Jabirul, Mohammad Rafique, Shahidul alias Shamim and Abdul Kalam alias Kalim. The STF of Kolkata Police had arrested six militants from Assam in the last week of September for allegedly conspiring to carry out blasts in the country, and also striking a deal with Bodo militants. Of the six, five were named in a chargesheet filed by NIA in the case.

Churiantpur / Malda District

BSF troops recovered two country-made pistols, four magazines and five rounds of ammunition near Churiantpur in Malda District. "The country-made automatic pistols were probably made in Munger in Bihar and were being sent across the border to Bangladesh. On Friday evening, troops of the 24Bn BSF from BOP Churiantpur received a tip-off regarding gunrunning activity. During a special joint operation with the police, two groups were seen approaching a mandir from the Churiantpur and Gulapganj sides. The two groups met near the mandir and were challenged by the security personnel. The miscreants managed to escape due to poor visibility and waterlogging. While escaping they dropped a cloth bag that was retrieved by the troops. The two guns, magazines and cartridges were found inside," a senior BSF officer said.

The Indo-Bangladesh border along Kaliachak and Baishnabnagar in Malda District of West Bengal is fast emerging as a transit route for illegal arms. Over the last few weeks, the BSF seized several arms consignments being smuggled into Bangladesh. Some of these could be for operatives of JMB, security agencies suspect.

Pradhan Nagar

West Bengal CID arrested two persons, including an ex-serviceman of AR, along with FICN worth INR 44000 from Darjeeling More area under Siliguri Police Commissionerate's Pradhan Nagar Police Station limits in West Bengal. According to reports, acting on specific source inputs, CID arrested Assam Rifle's ex-serviceman Pradeep Gogoi and his companion Sudhir Sarkar alias Sudhir Mondal and seized huge FICN from their possessions. "Pradeep Gogoi, who is a resident of Dibrugarh in Assam, and West Bengal's Malda district's resident Sudhir Sarkar are the kingpins of a North-East based FICN racket," a senior official of CID mentioned.

West Bengal

India's most wanted fugitive terrorist Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is funding huge amount of money to raise terror networks in West Bengal, Intelligence sources say. Bangladesh terror organisations run by Dawood's money are routing funds and exporting terrorists to India, sources in the STF claim quoting Hussein Anwar a 'most wanted terrorist' in that country.

Farakka in Malda District

Two persons, identified as Abdul Matin and Azrul Sheikh were arrested along with FICN worth INR 50,000 from Farakka in Malda District. The two are residents of Malda. According to sources, further investigations are going on.

North 24 Parganas District

A woman, identified as Shanti Bepari hailing from North 24 Parganas District was arrested in English Bazaar Police Station area of Malda District for allegedly peddling FICN amounting INR 1,00,000. However, two of her male companions ran away. It has been learnt from sources in the District Police department that 100 fake notes of INR 500 and another 50 fake currencies of INR 1000 were seized from her possession.

Police have learnt that the woman and her two male companions went to Kaliachak, to collect FICN. A senior Police official said, "It is unusual that the woman came from such a distance to peddle FICN. We are trying to gather more information from her about FICN racket." Arnab Ghosh, the Superintendent of Police said, "A woman with FICN amounting 1 lakh has been nabbed. We are looking into the matter."

Malda District

BSF personnel seized FICN of face value of INR 9,45,000 from West Bengal's Malda District.

West Bengal

Assault rifles used in the Gulshan cafe attack in Dhaka on July 1, 2016 were made in West Bengal with the help of Pakistani experts, one of the six terrorists arrested by Kolkata STF in September in connection with the Khagragarh blast (October 2, 2014) has told NIA sleuths. According to the arrested terrorist, Pakistani tribal gunsmiths clandestinely visited Malda District of West Bengal to train gunsmiths from Munger, who set up base in the district to make AK-22 assault rifles. These weapons were then smuggled into Bangladesh via Chapainawabgunj. The NIA investigators suspect the Pakistanis who conducted the training were from the Darra Adam Khel community that resides in a village located between Peshawar and Kohat. The community is believed to regularly help the Taliban in duplicating modern weapons.

West Bengal

West Bengal with its porous borders has turned into an easy transit point and secure hideout for the agents of terror outfits like JMB and Pakistan's ISI. "West Bengal's border is porous and this was used by militant groups to get an entry into the country and spread to other states. This is nothing new. The state has became a safe and secure shelter for them," an official stated. Militant outfits like JMB, Islamic State (IS) and ISI operatives are recruiting agents and training them here, he added. A special task force of Kolkata Police had arrested six top JMB militants, including four wanted, in connection with the 2014 Bardhaman blast case, from West Bengal and Assam in September. "Taking advantage of the unemployment situation, the agents have been recruiting people with ease. These groups also have recruitment cells which look for possible youths either studying in senior schools or looking for job as their possible targets," the official said.

Rail Gate area / Siliguri

Police recovered a stockpile of 609 gelatin sticks, 200 detonators and coils of wire from a house in Rail Gate area of Siliguri and arrested three Nepal citizens, identified as Dawa Tshering Bhutia alias Dawa Gurung, and Puja Limbu, his wife, and an associate of the couple, Krishna Prasad Adhikary. The Police have said the couple used to work in coal mines in Meghalaya. They had moved to Siliguri three months ago and taken a room in a two-storey house on rent in the Rail Gate area of the town. Adhikary, worked with a private security agency.

Police sources said the trio wanted to sell the stockpile of explosives, the detonators and wires and were on the lookout for customers. The Police suspect that the trio got the explosives either from the coal mines in Meghalaya, where the couple worked, or from Nepal. Adhikary was from the Panchthar District of Nepal and the couple from Khanpari.

Murshidabad District

A team of Mandsaur police have arrested one of the main suppliers of FICN, identified as Himel Sheikh alias Samirul Islam, a resident of Murshidabad District of West Bengal from areas bordering Bangladesh. Himel was the main supplier of fake notes with face value of INR 500 to a Mandsaur-based gang that was busted by the police on March 29, 2015. The Mandsaur police had arrested Mubarik Ajmeri, Umar Ajmeri and Siddique Ajmeri - all residents of Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh- and Shubhan Sheikh of Murshidabad. Fake currency notes with face value of INR 96,000 were seized from them. During interrogation, the quartet had revealed that Himel was the point person, who supplied FICN from across the border.

Kolkata

A seven member team of FBI, arrived in Kolkata to interrogate Islamic State (IS) terrorist Mohammad Musiruddin alias Musa. The team arrived at the NIA office in Kolkata. Musa was arrested in July, 2016 by the CID. Musa was one of the six operatives of JMB who were arrested by Kolkata Police's STF and CID in connection to the Khagragarh blast incident.

Report said that, after a "marathon interrogation" by FBI, Musa who is said to have planned attacks against US nationals in India on behalf of the JMB was sent back to judicial custody on December 9. Sources said the American agency grilled him regarding his involvement in the Dhaka cafe attack on July 1 as those killed were mostly foreigners. The FBI allegedly also asked him about how IS lured youths to join the outfit. Musa allegedly told them that creating hatred for "white people" in the minds of the youth was one of their targets. The interrogation, said to be a part of FBI's global study and monitoring of detainees with links to IS operatives, mainly concentrated on Musa's international connections, said sources.

Delhi

An emerging American link has come to light in the investigation of the Islamic State (IS) inspired terror cases with the NIA identifying a key recruiter, Abu Isa al Amriki-one of the planners of the terror group's external operations division which planned and executed terror attacks in foreign countries- to have set his eyes on India for recruitment of young Muslims. NIA officials have found glaring similarities in the modus operandi employed by al Amriki in at least two instances, Hyderabad module involving five men and a case of a lone wolf in Kolkata where the suspects were ready to commit terror acts in the name of IS. It has now prompted the US FBI to keep a close eye and coordinate with the NIA on the Indian IS related cases.

Kolkata

The FBI team's visit to Kolkata to question arrested Islamic State (IS) terror group operative Mohammad Masiuddin alias Musa, was essentially to gather more information on his Syria-based handler Shafi Armar, alias Yousuf al Hindi, and his alleged plans to harm US interests. According to top sources in the Indian security establishment, US agencies have been tracking the activities of Armar, who they suspect is in touch with radicalised American youth either looking to join or already recruited by IS. They also suspect Armar may be planning to target US interests and American citizens in India and elsewhere.

North 24-Parganas District

FICN case records in West Bengal for the six-month period between May and October reveal that North 24-Parganas District has emerged as a close second behind Malda District in the circulation of counterfeit currency. Different Police Stations in North 24-Parganas registered 31 FICN cases during the six-month window. Murshidabad Police Stations registered 24 cases. Malda topped the list with 45. Bardhaman was the fourth with 16 cases.

A few years ago, North 24-Parganas was not prominent on the fake note map at all. According to RBI records, INR 521,155 counterfeit notes with face value of INR 20.16 million were seized in 2011-12. On the basis of data obtained from different central and state agencies, RBI found that over 80 per cent of these notes came in through Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia districts. All these districts, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24-Parganas share a border with Bangladesh.

Kolkata

Suspected Islamic State (IS) cadre Mohammed Masiuddin alias Musa (25), allegedly had planned to attack the Mother House, headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity located in Mullick Bazar in Kolkata in West Bengal. This is according to a December 23 charge sheet filed by the NIA in Bankshall court in Kolkata. Musa was arrested earlier this year for his alleged links to terror groups such as Islamic State (IS) and JMB. The Mother house is visited by foreigners frequently. According to the NIA, during interrogation, Musa had allegedly revealed his plans to attack and the Mother House, which he claimed to be a 'soft target'. According to Police sources, security has been increased in and around Mother House area now. Musa is currently under judicial custody till January 3, 2017.

Kolkata

The West Bengal Government has set up a new intelligence agency, Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) to counter terrorism, neutralise terror modules and invigilate suspicious movements in Bengal and also to foil militant infiltration into the state. According to reports, LIU has already started its operations under direct monitoring of state's IB department. State's Home Affairs department's officials said that skilled Police officers from Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police force have been sent on deputation to the unit.

Sl. No.

Date

Place

Incident

January 6

West Bengal

Coast Guard vessels operating from West Bengal's Haldia and Frazergunj stations in Bay of Bengal have increased vigil along the east coast after intelligence reports warned of a possible terror strike before or during US President Barrack Obama's visit to India.

Burdwan, West Bengal

To gather evidence against alleged JMB member Rejaul Karim, who was arrested in connection with Burdwan blast (October 2, 2014) case, the NIA is now approaching forensic imagery experts to positively identify him as one of the JMB members seen in a video clip of a training session at the Simulia madrasa in Burdwan in West Bengal. Rejaul has allegedly confessed that he attended the session, and that he can be seen on the edges of the frame in the clip shown to him by interrogators. However, only one side of his body is visible, while his face is not seen. NIA sources said they were sending the clip for digital enhancement and forensic analysis to positively identify Rejaul from any distinguishing features on his limbs.

Birbhum, Nadia and Murshidabad

NIA arrested four persons in connection with the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case after carrying out raids across three districts of Birbhum, Nadia and Murshidabad in West Bengal. Among the arrested is one of the main recruiters for Bangladeshi terror group JMB, Dalim Sheikh alias Faijul Hoque Sheik. The other arrested are Motiur Rehman alias Noor Alam, Habibur Rehman Sheikh and Ghiyasuddin Munshi. While Dalim hails from Birbhum and Motiur from Nadia, the other two are from Murshidabad.

Kaliachak of Malda District

In Kaliachak of Malda District, the BSF seized FICNs with a face value of INR one million. The fake notes were in denominations of INR 1,000 and INR 500.

West Bengal

Fishing boats less than 20 metres in length continue to pose security threat along the West Bengal and Odisha coasts, says the Coast Guard. While larger vessels are fitted with AIS, there is no mechanism to regulate the movement of the smaller boats. Though nearly 98 per cent of fishermen in West Bengal have been issued biometric identity cards, these have to be physically checked by Coast Guard personnel.

Murshidabad

The NIA arrested one more person, identified as Mufazzil Haque from Mokimnagar area of the Murshidabad District in West Bengal bordering Bangladesh in connection with the October 2, 2014, Burdwan blast case. NIA alleged that Haque was running a madrassa in Murshidabad where youths were recruited for JMB and he was a close associate of Sheikh Rehmatullah alias Sajjid, who was arrested by the NIA in November, 2014. The new arrest came days after four JMB militants, who were running terror camps in West Bengal, were arrested in connection with the blast. NIA said the investigation so far has revealed that JMB had established its network in many Districts, particularly in Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda, Birbhum and Burdwan in West Bengal, Barpeta in Assam, and Sahibganj and Pakur in Jharkhand.

B B Ganguly Street in central Kolkata

STF personnel arrested a person, identified as Mubarak Alam alias Sk Muba along with FICNs of the face value of INR 8.1 million from B B Ganguly Street in central Kolkata in West Bengal. Report said that this is perhaps the biggest recovery of FICN in West Bengal. Sources said the Kolkata Police were in touch with their counterparts in IB and other intelligence and investigating agencies to ascertain Sk Muba's links with various terror groups that have established bases in West Bengal. The Police, who have recently become aware of the presence of JMB terrorists in Bengal in the wake of the Burdwan blast of October 2, 2014, are unwilling to take any chance. According to reports, Police are planning to slap charges on Sk Muba under sections 120B, 489B and 489C of the IPC.

Malda railway station in Malda District

BSF arrested two men, identified as Ishraful and Md Sahabuddin from Malda railway station in Malda District with FICN of the face value of INR 2.84 lakh. The arrests and seizure were made during a joint operation by the Troops of 125th Battalion and CRPF.

Burdwan

According to reports there appears to be contradictory views about the JMB setting up the Burdwan (West Bengal) module, as the NIA in its chargesheet is likely to suggest that the operation was aimed at carrying out terror strikes in India, while Bangladesh continues to maintain that the intention of the JMB was to hit at the Sheikh Hasina regime. The NIA says that on interrogation of the all the accused persons it has learnt that they had been setting up modules to carry out strikes in West Bengal, Assam among other states in India. Bangladesh on the other hand says that the JMB has only one intention and that is to shake up PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her government. They found it hard to set up modules in Bangladesh and hence chose West Bengal where they were readying a module to strike at the Awami League (AL) led by Sheikh Hasina.

Burdwan

Bangladesh would request India to extradite all the accused India has arrested in connection with the Burdwan (West Bengal) blasts case. Bangladesh contends that the entire module was being set up to commit an offence in Bangladesh and hence all of them be extradited.

Central Kolkata

The STF of Kolkata Police arrested one person, identified as Chandrasekhar Jaiswal and uncovered a FICN racket. The STF seized FICN with face value of over INR 100 million from Jaiswal. "We nabbed Jaiswal from central Kolkata and seized as many as 200 fake notes of Rs 1000 from his personal possession. We carried out raids at two locations - CIT Road at Manicktala and Domjur and seized 450 gunny bags containing scraps of Indian currency notes from his godown at Domjur...From his residence at Manicktala, we seized fake currency notes, industrial equipment, chemicals, stamps and cheques. We also seized 20 4G internet dongles and unused SIM cards purchased from Kolkata," said Deputy Commissioner, STF, Amit Javalgi. "We are trying to explore all the other angles of this racket - including links to terrorist outfits. We have also contacted other Central investigating agencies to find out if the fake currency was channelised outside the country," added Javalgi.

Kolkata

The discovery of a FICN production unit in Kolkata has sent alarm bells ringing in the security establishment. Housed in a three-storeyed residential building, at Kankurgachi area of the city the racket is suspected to have been in operation for nearly five years. Police have sought help from all central agencies, including NIA. The UMHA and RBI have also been alerted. "If they are manufacturing foreign currencies, it is obvious they have ready buyers. Besides, they would need raw material and dices to replicate foreign currencies. It is obvious the gang was operating in close coordination with an international racket. We cannot move forward with the probe unless we get proper assistance from central agencies," a Police officer said.

The charge sheet in the October 2, 2014 Burdwan blast case, to be submitted by the NIA to the court on March 31, allegedly claims that the Burdwan module of the JMB was trying to bring 'Sharia law' in some Districts on the Indo-Bangladesh border - a glaring instance of 're-emergence of JMB' in India. Sources in the NIA said the charge sheet, which will be submitted within six months of the blast, will give details about the JMB module working in Burdwan, West Bengal.

The NIA, while describing JMB's Burdwan module, has reportedly claimed in its charge sheet that the explosives were scheduled to reach the bordering areas in Assam. Sources said the agency has no evidence to prove that the explosives were smuggled to Bangladesh. All the 17 arrested in the Burdwan blast case have been charged under UAPA. Those arrested, including a Bangladeshi and two "hardcore women Jihadis", have been accused of carrying out "terrorist activities" and "making and dealing with explosives and arms", the charge sheet reportedly stated. Besides those arrested, the NIA is currently looking for 10 people. They include Boma Mizan alias Kausar alias Zahidul Islam Shobhan - accused in over two dozen cases in Bangladesh. One of the most wanted criminals in Bangladesh, he had fled from the custody of Bangladeshi Police. Meanwhile, the charge-sheet also focused on Khariji madrasas in the bordering Districts. The NIA reportedly has mentioned two madrassas, Simulia in Burdwan and Mukimnagar in Murshidabad as "terror training" centres.

The NIA is yet to come across any evidence to suggest that any cadre or leader of TMC was involved in the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case. "The NIA has completed first leg of its probe into the case and sought sanction of the UMHA to charge sheet 23 alleged suspects of terror outfit JMB under the UAPA. So far, no involvement of any TMC cadre or leader has come to light," said an unnamed Government Official.

A court in Kolkata, West Bengal extended till March 27, 2015 the judicial custody of all 17 accused including Mufazzal Haque alias Laden in the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case. All the 17 accused were presented before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Biswarup Seth on the expiry of their respective juridical custody. On the plea by the prosecution, the court remanded them to further judicial custody for 14 days till March 27.

Two people were arrested and a huge cache of crude bombs and some firearms seized in Bardhaman District of West Bengal. During a combing operation Police made the seizures from a hideout in Belsore village. "We have seized around 200 crude bombs and a few country-made guns. Two people have been arrested," a Police Officer said. The Police are examining if the incident has any links to the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast incident.

Troops of the BSF's 20 Battalion apprehended a smuggler, identified as Saddam Hussain (20), from the Daulatpur BOP area in Malda District of West Bengal along with FICN of INR 1,000,000. The smuggler and the FICN have been handed over to the Police. So far, BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized FICN of face value of more than INR 36,81,500 and apprehended five smugglers in the year 2015.

One person, identified as Babla Kamalpur was arrested along with FICN of INR 400,000 from Maheshmati area of Malda District. The man is suspected to be a carrier and investigations are on, they added. Malda District has emerged as a major transit route for FICN brought from Bangladesh and Nepal and then circulated across the country.

A key accused in October 2, 2015 Bardhaman blast, Abdul Wahab Momin was arrested by NIA from Sealdah area of Kolkata in West Bengal.

A court sent Abdul Wahab Momin, a key accused in October 2, 2015 Bardhaman blast, to custody of the NIA till March 31, 2015. Momin, was earlier arrested on March 21 by NIA from Sealdah area of Kolkata. Contending that Momin was involved in facilitating shelter for JMB cadres in West Bengal, the NIA counsel said his custody was essential to extract information about other absconding accused. NIA claimed that its investigation has so far showed that the JMB had established its network in many Districts - particularly in Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda, Birbhum and Bardhaman in West Bengal, Barpeta in Assam, and Sahibganj and Pakur in Jharkhand. As many as 15 people suspected to be involved in the case are absconding.

A joint operation by the BSF and West Bengal Police led to the arrest of two persons, identified as Abdul Rauf Mandal and Rahima Mandal, and seizure of 10 country-made pistols, ammunition and a suspicious looking chemical from their possession at the Bongaon bus stand of North 24-Parganas District in West Bengal. The suspects have been arrested and a search is on for the man who was to collect the consignment from them. The white chemical found with the guns and ammunition has been sent for analysis. Officers suspect that it is some variety of low-grade explosive that was to be used to make crude bombs. Later during interrogation, Rahima told interrogators that she had received the consignment from a person in Jamalpur area of Munger District in the State of Bihar and was returning to Patkilpota to hand it over to one Taleb Mondal. A search has been launched for Taleb as he could tell authorities to who he planned to hand over the weapons and suspected explosive.

Delhi Police arrested the kingpin of a gang involved in dealing with FICNs, identified as Shahjahan Sheikh alias Tunnu in West Bengal. ASP Abhishek Modi said that the accused was arrested during a joint operation by the Delhi Police and Malda Police from his house at Chhoto Mohodipur in Kaliachak in Malda District of West Bengal. The 45-year-old was involved in the racket for a long time and had three cases against him in Delhi and two more in other states though none in Malda. He was produced in a local court today which granted his transit remand to Delhi police.

The NIA probing the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast has come across a piece of land in Shantipally near Santiniketan in Birbhum District of West Bengal which it suspects would have been used by the JMB to set up a colony for its operators. Senior officers of the NIA linked the possible plan to set up the colony in Shantipally to "operating a sleeper cell". They said a JMB leader in charge of the module in Birbhum had been instructed by his bosses in the neighbouring country to set up the colony.

The NIA filed the chargesheet in the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case, before the NIA Special Judge at Bankshall Court in Kolkata outlining a conspiracy by terror outfit JMB to use Indian territory as a recruiting and training ground to overthrow the Bangladesh Government and impose Sharia-based Islamic rule. NIA says JMB's mission was to create a 'Greater Bangladesh' with portions wrested from West Bengal. Over 164 pages, NIA details how JMB operators targeted West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand to set up training camps. "Its activities in India primarily included recruitment, radicalisation and training of vulnerable youths in a systematic and organised manner. The banned Bangladeshi outfit spread its network in four Bengal Districts - Nadia, Burdwan, Murshidabad and Birbhum," says the chargesheet, adding that a similar network was found in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. "These bases were used for organizing radicalisation programmes, meetings, fund collection drives and as hideouts for cadres and their families," an NIA officer said.

A man, identified as Bin Amin Seikh, has been arrested by the NIA in connection with the October 2, 2014, Bardhaman blast case near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Baliadanga village in Kaliachak area in Malda District of West Bengal. The 24-year old, who hailed from Bhagabangola in Murshidabad District, used to frequent one Mehboob Seikh's house in the Kaliachak village and was netted after the NIA questioned Mehboob on April 2, an officer said.

The NIA's probe into the October 2, 2014, Bardhaman blasts could soon uncover the role of Pakistan's spy agency ISI and al Qaeda in helping JMB run its operations, top sources said. The agency is set to receive crucial documents from Bangladesh on the funding, membership and association of JMB with other groups which it believes would shed light on the outfit's links with ISI and al-Qaida. JMB has already established a substantial base in West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand. An official said the 39 bombs recovered from the hideouts of JMB members in Bardhaman were possibly funded by ISI and al Qaeda.

The BSF seized FICN with face value of INR 1.6 million from Daulatpur locality of Kaliachak area along Indo-Bangladesh border in Malda District of West Bengal. While patrolling in Daulatpur locality, BSF personnel found two bags lying near the barbed wire fencing, ASP, Abhishek Modi said.

Malda District

Acting on a tip off Police raided Ratua Bazaar area in Malda District of West Bengal and arrested a man on charge of carrying FICN. A Police official said FICN with face value INR 50,000 and a country made hand gun was confiscated from that man.

Murshidabad District

One person, identified as Babbar Ali, was arrested in West Bengal's Murshidabad District along with FICN bearing the face value of nearly INR 5, 50,000. The seizure was made during a joint operation by the BSF and the CISF near the Farakka Barrage.

Kolkata

A city court in Kolkata sent Ibrahim Sheikh alias Lal Mohammad, an alleged operative of JMB Indian wing, to the NIA custody till May 8, 2015 in connection with the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case. The NIA counsel sought Ibrahim's custody saying he was caught with ammunition, firearms and crude bombs. Ibrahim is said to hail from Nabagram in Murshidabad District of West Bengal and a member of the Majlis-e-shura (central committee) of the JMB. The investigating agencies have alleged that he was the in-charge of the Fatimatul Mukimnagar Madrasa

Malda District

BSF arrested a person and seized FICN of face value of INR 64, 65,000 from Daulatpur village under Baishnab Nagar Police Station near Indo-Bangladesh border in Malda District of West Bengal.

Bardhaman District

Two women were injured in an explosion inside a house in Bardhaman District of West Bengal. According to the Police, the house was used to stock crude bombs. "The house is located in Begunkhola village. It collapsed from the impact of the blast, leaving two women injured," Bardhaman SP Kunal Agarwal said. A senior police official said the house belonged to one Sanjoy Ghosh who was arrested from Katwa in the same District in connection to a criminal case a few days ago.

Malda District

Troops of South Bengal Frontier of BSF arrested two inter-state smugglers, identified as Sunesh Sharma and Rajan Chopera from West Bengal's Malda District and seized FICN worth of INR 9,00,000.

West Midnapore District

A five-member team comprising NIA officials led by SP of NIA, Vikas Vaibhav visited the blast site at Pingla in West Midnapore District of West Bengal on. On May 7, a blast at a firecracker factory claimed lives of 12 people all between the age of eight and 16 years. Two days ago, a second blast rocked the same spot while members of civil society were on their visit to the blast site. While the Centre is yet to handover the case to NIA, officials here are collecting the samples from the blast site.

Three-member team of NIA that had gone to Bangladesh to hold talks with the Bangladesh Metropolitan Police (BMP) have been promised all help by the Bangladeshi counterparts in nabbing at least four accused in October 2, 2014 Burdwan blast who are said to be hiding there. The NIA fresh impetus comes after reports that a Bangladeshi had supplied bombs at Ketugram in Burdwan District before the municipal elections in West Bengal. According to NIA sources, they have submitted details of the accused through the MLAT. Accordingly, the BMP is to collect details of the nationality of wanted men like Talha Sheikh and Sheikh Suman and submit it to the Indian MEA through their Bangladeshi office.

A key accused in the October 2, 2014 Burdwan blasts case, suspected JMB recruiter and ideologue, Lal Mohammed alias Ibrahim has told his interrogators that the JMB had plans to target West Bengal and Assam after overthrowing the Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh. He was arrested by Jharkhand Police with support of Indian security agencies in Pakur District on April 18. During interrogation, Ibrahim, a resident of Murshidabad, said that he had recruited more than 150 persons including women for jihad in India since 2010-2011.

Suspecting Pakistan's role in the recent supply of high quality FICN printed on the same paper as the Pakistani Rupee, the NIA last week initiated a full blown investigation into a cross-border network of smugglers who work for ISI. Earlier this year, Delhi Police's Special Cell busted a FICN syndicate with the arrest of kingpin Shahjahan Sheikh alias Tunnu from Malda District of West Bengal along with his two associates and recovered FICN worth of INR 2 million. It is suspected that the gang worked for men sitting in Pakistan and ISI directly facilitates their operation of smuggling FICN to Bangladesh and then to Indian states via Indo-Bangla border. Sources also said that the fake currency has been printed on same paper as Pakistani Rupee.

Kaikhali area / Airport Police station area / Kolkata

Police arrested a person, identified as Md Shahid along with FICN worth of INR 50,000 in Kaikhali area under Airport Police station area in Kolkata in West Bengal. A Police officer said that the source of the counterfeit notes and if he was a courier and got down from any international flight was looked into.

West Bengal

According to BSF official, the BSF detained 400 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and recovered contraband worth over INR.70 million across West Bengal in May, 2015. "Besides a large number of contraband and FICNs, we have apprehended 400 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in May from across the South Bengal frontier," a BSF officer said. The troopers also detained 154 Indians for trying to illegally cross the international border in May. "On the smuggling front, we have seized over 16 kg of gold worth over Rs.44 lakh, nearly 42,000 bottles of Phensedyl, valued around Rs.40 lakh, and other contraband items and cattle heads worth Rs.6.23 crore," the officer added. FICNs with a face value of INR 7.4 million and 146.5 kg of ganja were also recovered from various parts of the border.

Birbhum District

Police arrested a van driver, identified as Bindu Mondal and seized explosives from him at Mallarpur within the limits of Mayureswar Police Station in Birbhum District of West Bengal. Acting on a tip-off, Police chased the van and managed to stop it on NH-60 at Mallarpur. Huge quantity of explosives, such as detonators and gelatin sticks were kept in boxes inside the vehicle. Both the vehicle and its materials have been seized. Police Superintendent Mukesh Kumar said, "Some 15,000 detonators and 9,200 gelatin sticks were seized from the pick-up van."

Kolkata

A 19-member delegation of the BGB, headed by DSM Shaheedul Islam, Additional Director General and Regional Commander, South West Region, Jessore, reached Kolkata through the ICP at Petrapole to attend the IG level co-ordination conference. The 21-member BSF delegation is being led by Sandeep Salunke, IG, South Bengal Frontier. The issues to be discussed include smuggling of cattle, illegal migration and the movement of contraband such as phensedyl, drugs, firearms and most importantly FICNs. The conference also discussed coordinated patrolling by the two border guarding forces. The BGB delegation will return to Bangladesh on June 11.

Kolkata

India and Bangladesh have decided to exchange all information on terror organizations, including the JMB which as responsible for the October 2, 2014 blast at Khagragarh in Bardhaman District of West Bengal. A recent press release from Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) stated: "We also shared evidence of the three fugitive Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh operatives' involvement in the blast."

Kolkata

Movement of terror elements across the International Border, smuggling of FICN into India and narcotics to Bangladesh featured in the four-day Inspectors General level conference between the BSF and BGB that concluded at Kolkata. "Both sides expressed their concern about the suspected movement of terror elements across the border. Bangladesh is particularly concerned after the Khagragarh blast that revealed how JMB modules operated in West Bengal. We assured the BGB that care will be taken to prevent movement of jehadis across the border and their officers told us that steps will continue to be taken against anti-Indian militant groups that have operated from Bangladesh in the past. The BSF also brought up the issue of attack on Indian border troopers by Bangladeshi smugglers," a senior BSF official said.

Chourangi / Kaliachak Police station area / Malda District

The BSF arrested a person along with FICN of face value INR 199,000 near NH 34 at Chourangi in the Kaliachak Police station area of Malda District in West Bengal. The BSF acted after receiving specific inputs from the intelligence branch about movement of a smuggler with a large consignment of FICN across the Indo-Bangla border. The arrested youth was also carrying INR 1,540 (genuine Indian Currency), an ATM card and a mobile phone with an Indian SIM," a senior official said. On interrogation, the youth claimed that he is a minor and a resident of West Champaran in Bihar.

Kolkata

NIA arrested Noor-ul-Haque alias Naeem, 'chief trainer' of the Indian module of JMB from Howrah station in Kolkata (West Bengal). Naeem also collected funds for the terror outfit and had undergone arms training under NSCN-K in Myanmar.

Bardhaman District

NIA is putting up posters of absconding terrorists, most of whom are Bangladeshis involved in the October 2, 2014, Bardhaman (West Bengal) blast and training youth in arms and manufacturing of explosives. The NIA has so far arrested 17 people in the case. But even after eight months, 12 wanted JMB terrorists are on the run. The posters of 11 militants with their photographs and the reward placed by the central agency, with some carrying as high as INR 10,00,000 on their head, are on display at bus terminus, court premises, railway stations and Police Stations in remote villages of Bardhaman District.

Kolkata

A city court in Kolkata remanded Bardhaman blast (October 2, 2014) accused and key JMB militant, Noor-ul-Haque, to 14 days' custody of NIA till July 3.

Malda Dsitrict

BSF, arrested three Indian arms smugglers along with two pistols near the Taltoli Border Outpost in the Bamangola Police Station area of Malda District. A motorcycle was also seized from the trio, who were attempting to smuggle the weapons across the border into Bangladesh. Several SIM cards were also seized from the smugglers.

Kolkata

NIA investigation the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case, has recovered a laptop at the instance of Nurul Hoque, alleged to be key a conspirator in many activities of JMB terror outfit. Official sources said that during his custodial interrogation, Norul Hoque, who was known as 'Nayeem' to the intelligence agencies confessed that he had received a laptop from Sheikh Rahamatullah alias Sajid the Bangla module 'head' just two months before the blast. He then guided the NIA officers to a hideout in Murshidabad District of West Bengal and handed over a laptop from where the details were gathered.

Malda District

Troops of BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized FICN of face value INR 398,000 near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Malda District. "On Thursday, around 10.45 pm, the BSF received specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of large quantities of FICN...On being challenged, the man fled in the darkness, leaving behind two packets covered in brown-coloured plastic. On opening the packets, the troops found 398 fake currency notes of face value INR 1,000 each. The FICN was handed over to the Kaliachak Police Station," a senior BSF officer said.

Malda District

Police arrested a smuggler, identified as Gautam Mandal along with FICNs amounting to INR 10,00,000 in Sukdevpur area under Vaishnavnagar Police Station in Malda District. Police arrested him on the basis of intelligence inputs and seized notes of denominations of INR 500 and INR 1000.

West Bengal

The NIA is taking over the May 12, 2015 Titagarh (North 24 Paraganas District) train blast in which a BSF trooper was killed and 15 passengers injured. CID has been probing the case so far. Four persons are in custody, three of whom were arrested by the Sealdah.

West Bengal

Bangla Bhai, 'military commander' of JMJB who was executed in 2007 in Bangladesh, had visited West Bengal in 2005 and spent three months touring several Districts trying to set up a base for the banned militant outfit JMB in the state, investigations have revealed..

The NIA officials learnt how Siddique ul-Islam alias Bangla Bhai prepared the ground for the network that was exposed nine years later while investigating the blast in a house at Bardhaman's Khagragarh on October 2, 2014. Bangla Bhai entered India through Dhulian in Murshidabad and settled in the District. "In 2005, JMB leaders sent Bangla Bhai to Murshidabad as it served a two-fold purpose of preparing the ground for setting up a base for the organisation as well as providing him shelter from the security forces of Bangladesh who were hot on his heels," an NIA officer stated.

With the discovery of the role of the JMB kingpin, it has now become clear that the efforts started at least nine years earlier. "Murshidabad was the first district in Bengal where JMB set up its organisation. Bhai worked in close association with Hatkata Nasirullah, whom we are looking for," an NIA officer stated. "With his base at Domkal in Murshidabad, Bangla Bhai started contacting other leaders in Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum. He told them that days were not far off when the caliphate would be established in Bangladesh and their task would be to spread the idea in the bordering districts of India too," added the NIA officer

Malda District

BSF arrested two FICN smugglers in West Bengal in two separate incidents. "In Malda, troops of the 125Bn launched a special operation near Chawrangi in the Kaliachak Police Station area around 4.30 am and apprehended a youth who was moving along National Highway 34. With the help of local police, the youth was searched and FICN of INR 748,500 face value was seized from his possession. The youth, during interrogation, claimed that he is Sarif Miya from Bhabta in the Betiah District of Bihar," a senior BSF official said.

Sarif claimed that he had collected the FICN (449 notes of Rs 1,000 face value and 599 of Rs 500 face value) from Kaliachak and was taking the consignment for delivery to Betiah. He was handed over to the Kaliachak Police Station.

Separately, troops of the 130Bn BSF, along with Special Operations Group (SOG), Behrampore Police, launched a special operation in the Beladanga area of Murshidabad District and around 2.45 pm, a motorcyclist was seen moving a suspicious manner and apprehended by the SOG near Panchanantala. He was identified as Hafizul Rehman alias Hafiz (51), a resident of Barua in the Beldanga Police Station of Murshidabad. He was carrying 49 FICN of face value INR 1000 each. He was taken by the SOG to the Behrampore Police Station for further legal action.

In 2015, the BSF South Bengal Frontier has seized FICN of face value INR 1,65,90,500 and arrested 15 smugglers.

Kolkata

One person, identified as Abdul was arrested along with INR 10,00,000 FICN by the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police from a mobile shop in Chandni Chowk area of Kolkata (West Bengal).

West Bengal

Political parties, local gangs and terrorist organisations are among the suspects NIA is tracking in its probe into the May 12, 2015 explosion in a suburban train in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas District. NIA top brass have instructed officers investigating the blast on train number 31811 (Sealdah-Krishnanagar EMU local) at Titagarh railway station to keep political parties and local gangs on its radar.

Bardhaman

NIA sources said they have evidence that shows that the arrested Abu Talha Mohammad Fahim alias Pakhi, chief of a JMB faction in Bangladesh, is the same Talha Sheikh accused of masterminding the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman (West Bengal) blast. NIA had earlier declared a INR 10,00,000 reward on him. "We are contacting Dhaka Metropolitan Police and we might even request for his extradition if possible," said an NIA officer in Delhi. Pakhi was arrested by Dhaka Metropolitan Police from near the Bangladesh capital on July 27 along with seven others when they were trying to contact Islamic State (IS) operatives.

Police arrested a Mumbai resident, identified as Siraj Rijalisha suspected to be a mastermind of an interstate-smuggling racket was arrested with FICN from a Basirhat hotel in North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal. Fake currency of the face value of INR 5000 was also seized from him. Police are also looking for more gang members, including a woman with whom Siraj were staying in another hotel for a week.

Three persons were arrested along with FICNs, arms and ammunitions from a car in Siliguri District of West Bengal. Police intercepted the car and recovered from them one pistol and six rounds of live cartridges, besides FICN with the face value of INR 40,000 last night. According to Police, all three had criminal backgrounds, who used to commit dacoity by using the same car, he said.

100kg of explosive material was recovered from a vehicle near Bangladesh border in Murshidabad District's Suti, sparking a security alert ahead of Independence Day. The recovery comes at a time when intelligence agencies have warned of a possible terror attack on or before August 15. Police have sent the explosive - a white crystalline powder - for tests. The two carriers - Akhtar Sk (28) and Rafiqul Islam (34) - were arrested.

Chadni Chowk / Kolkata

The STF of the Kolkata Police arrested five Sri Lankan nationals, allegedly former LTTE members, and two Indians from a hotel in Chadni Chowk in Kolkata (West Bengal). The seven were picked up from Hotel Chandni International, located in the central part of the city, by the STF late on August 14 night in a joint operation with personnel of the Bowbazar Police Station, a senior officer of the Kolkata Police's STF section said. "They have failed to show proper papers about their identities and their travelling papers to India. They have entered the country on forged documents. We suspect that they probably have used waterways to enter Chennai," the officer said. The two Indians, residents of Tamil Nadu, had helped the five Sri Lankans in travelling to Kolkata and probably with the false documents, he said.

Jorabagan / Kolkata

Pankaj Gadhai (resident of Odisha) was arrested by ATS of CID from Jorabagan in Kolkata in West Bengal.

54 Strand Road / Kolkata

With Pankaj Gadhai's (who was arrested on August 14) revelation, Kolkata CID recovered 600 kilogram of ammonium nitrate along with another 500 kilogram of Sulphur and 20 kilogram of aluminum nitrate from 54 Strand Road in Kolkata. The fact that this huge stack was locked inside a go-down even as the city went in to a high-alert for Independence Day has not gone well in the security establishment. "By the looks of it, the entire modus operandi is tried and tested and up and running for several months. We are investigating this aspect closely," said a source. The go-down belongs to one Susanta Pakhira, who too is a resident of Odisha. According to CID sleuths, the recovery has direct connection with the Raghunathganj explosives haul that took place on August 8.

Kolkata

Dismissing suggestion that the five Sri Lankans arrested from a city hotel in Kolkata have connection to a "terror group", the Kolkata Police said it has started looking for those who brought them to the city promising fake passports and help getting jobs in France. The five Sri Lankans, allegedly former members of the LTTE, were arrested by Kolkata Police STF section from a city hotel with fake documents on August 14.

Bagdah / North 24-Parganas District

The BSF seized FICNs of face value INR 200,000 close to the Indo-Bangladesh border at Bagdah in North 24-Parganas District of West Bengal. A woman, who carried the notes up to the border, managed to escape towards Bangladesh on being challenged by the troops.

Mohanpur village / Malda District

The BSF arrested two persons and seized FICN with a face value of nearly INR 398,000 from Mohanpur village in Malda District of West Bengal. "The accused are residents of Malda and the consignment of FICN was being smuggled from Bangladesh. We have also seized some mobile phones and SIM cards from them," said a BSF officer. The BSF so far in 2015 has seized FICN of more than INR 1,83,10,500 and apprehended 20 persons involved in the racket. Alarmed over the smuggling of fake notes, the NIA has begun probing at least three such recoveries made from West Bengal.

West Bengal

At least six accounts in four nationalised banks, spread over districts of Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshibad and Kolkata in West Bengal, were used by the JMB, to fund its module in the state, revealed an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The accounts used by the jihadists were created in nationalised banks violating KYC rules. The banks, where the accounts were opened, include SBI, Corporation Bank, Bank of Baroda and Oriental Bank of Commerce. The accounts were closed, or became inactive, immediately after NIA arrested the handlers of JMB.

West Bengal

A banned extremist organisation of Bangladesh having links with the Pakistani Taliban has reportedly sent a 30 cadre team for training to Myanmar via Cox Bazaar in an attempt to launch terror attacks in India. The trained group returned to Bangladesh on December 31, 2014. The decision to send the 12-member group was taken after a secret meeting held at Bashkhali of Chittagaong, Bangladesh on October 20, 2014.Intelligence sources said three Indian nationals are part of the team. Sources said the Indian nationals are from West Bengal. They have been identified as Sultan Sarkar of Rasolpur village under Aarambagh District, Taj Miah of Biruri village under Dubrajpur Police Station of Birbhum District and Shafi Mandal of Kaliachak in Malda District. Sources have further disclosed that the members of the team are in touch with the Pakistan-based Taliban through telephone and internet services.

Kolkata

Aftab Ansari, sentenced to death for the 2002 American Center terror attack in Kolkata (West Bengal), will not be taken to Ahmedabad (Gujarat) for trial in a abduction case. Aftab has always been a security challenge, especially since it was established that he had a major financial role in setting up IM. With the security agencies saying it will be too risky to take him out of Alipore Jail in Kolkata, an Ahmedabad court has agreed to carry out carry out the trial through video-conferencing.

Malda

According to a recent NIA report, 80 per cent FICNs are sneaked into the country through the 172-km porous border along Malda District, and 55-60 per cent of the consignments from Bangladesh are circulated from the villages in 12 sq-km triangle with 18 villages. According to the Malda District Police report, FICN with a face value of INR 1.43 crore were seized in 2013, the next year, it increased to INR 1.5 crore, while till July, 2015 it is INR 1.97 crore According to the NIA, Malda has become the locus of criminal activities, with links to the Pakistan's ISI-backed network of terrorism.

Personnel of the bomb squad of the West Bengal CID have found a bag full with explosives from Falaknuma Express at Howrah railway station. Officials suspect that the bag has been transported from Secunderabad by the down Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, according to preliminary reports. Unclaimed pipe like objects were recovered from a reserved compartment of the express train, which were found to be low intensity landmines.

ED has registered a case under FEMA to investigate suspected hawala operations behind the over INR 450 million cash which was seized in Kolkata (West Bengal) as part of a crackdown against lottery operatives channeling illegal funds for the Dawood Ibrahim gang.

NIA and other security agencies are carrying out raids in various parts of West Bengal and Jharkhand, after the arrest of JMB militant Tarikul Islam to get clues on October 2, 2014 Bardhaman (West Bengal) blast.

UMHA told the West Bengal and Assam governments to maintain strict vigil across the border after Bangladeshi authorities intercepted a consignment of FICN with a face value of INR 40 crore.

According to IB report, IS has put up posters in West Bengal Districts of Murshidabad and Nadia bordering Bangladesh, in a bid to attract people. The cyber cell of the IB has conducted a national survey to mark the areas from where the IS is trying to recruit youths.

BSF seized FICNs and around 20 kilogram silver on Indo-Bangladesh border. According to the reports, the face value of FICN was set INR 500,000 by the officials. A BSF release said that the fake notes and silver were being smuggled into India at the Sukhdevpur border outpost in Malda District of West Bengal. The smugglers ran away as they were challenged by the officials.

Malda District

The BSF seized FICN with face value of nearly INR 12,92,000 in Sasani border outpost of Malda District in West Bengal. The troopers seized fake currency wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown from across the Bangladesh border. "The fake notes in a plastic bag were thrown across the fence into the Indian side. A BSF team challenged some miscreants who tried to pick up the packet. But they fled taking advantage of foggy weather," said a BSF officer.

A red alert has been sounded all over West Bengal during Durga Puja about possible terror attacks by various Islamist fundamentalist groups. The IM, JMB and various other Bangladeshi outfits operating in the State might resort to subversive activities during the festival, intelligence agencies said. While vigil along the border is being stepped up, all police stations in border districts have been alerted to look out for Bangladeshi infiltrators trained by Islamist terror outfits to wreak havoc during the festive season and organise riots.

The NIA submitted a charge sheet indicting an accused, identified as Barkat Ali of conspiracy involving cross border smuggling of FICN. The case involves seizure of FICN of the face value of nearly INR 65,00,000 from the accused Barkat Ali near the Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda District on May 6, 2015.

West Bengal

The NIA has managed to neutralise an inter-state racket that involves the circulation of FICNs and also smuggling of narcotics. The two states in question are Punjab and West Bengal and the arrest of these operatives had led to the seizure of opium and high quality fake currency notes. In a detailed charge sheet filed by the NIA, it is stated that Sunesh Kumar a resident of Ambala (Haryana) and Rajan Chopra from Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab were involved in a racket involving the circulation of both fake currency and opium.

Kaliachak / Malda District

BSF seized FICN of face value INR 1.585 million close to the Indo-Bangladesh border near Kaliachak in Malda District. The FICN was thrown across the border by Bangladeshi criminals to their Indian counterparts. The Indian criminals fled on being challenged.

Kolkata

The STF unit of Kolkata Police arrested one person, identified as Akhtar Khan alias Mohammed Javed alias Raju from the Colootola area in Jorashanko Police Station limits of the city for his alleged links with Pakistan's ISI. "We got information that a person was working in the city on an espionage and arrested him this evening," an officer said. Besides, several illegal documents, FICN with the face value of INR 1,72,500 were seized from Akhtar, who has been working as a bartender in the city, the officer said. Akhtar has been booked under IPC sections 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 489B and 489C. The documents recovered from Akhtar Khan's home in Kolkata "clearly showed" his links to Pakistan's ISI, a top STF officer said. Talking about their investigation, the STF officer said that the documents, unearthed from the Collin Street residence of the Khan showed his "deep-rooted" links with the Pakistani agency.

Kolkata

Two days after a suspected ISI agent, Akhtar Khan was detained, the STF of Kolkata Police arrested his brother Jaffar Khan from the city on charges of spying. "Akhtar's interrogation revealed that Jaffar was also involved with him in spying. We have arrested him," an STF officer said. "We have seized several incriminating documents from his possession."

Kolkata

Zafar Khan, the ISI agent arrested from Kolkata on November 16, was spying on defence establishments in the state, specifically on the chicken-neck area Bengal's trijunction of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, say Police. He was also spying on defence equipment manufacturing units in Bengal since 2009 and was a major hawala (illegal money transfer) operator of the Tiljala-Topsia belt in the city, say Police. A more seasoned spy, it was Zafar who insisted that he and his elder brother Akhtar, who is also in custody, get Pakistani nationality, say sources.

It was also Zafar who used his local contacts to arrange for money to reach Kolkata through hawala channels for operational needs, said an officer. "We are targeting his hawala network from the Gulf," he added. STF sources said Zafar posed as a marketing executive to cover his spying. What worries police is his confession that he had procured fake papers for some locals, who travelled to the Gulf.

Ranaghat /Nadia District

Two persons were arrested along with FICN, with a face value of INR 3,00,000 in Ranaghat of Nadia District in West Bengal. Based on a tip-off, Ranaghat Police raided the house of one Kartik Rakhit and found fake currency notes worth INR 3,00,000 in denomination INR 50 and INR 100.

Daulatpur border outpost area / Malda

The BSF seized FICN with face value of nearly INR 1,299,000 while they were being smuggled from Bangladesh into West Bengal under Daulatpur border outpost area in Malda District. "The FICNs kept inside a bag were thrown into the Indian side from across the international border. A BSF patrol party challenged miscreants who tried to pick up the bag. While they managed to flee, we seized the bag from which fake notes amounting to Rs.11.99 lakh was recovered," said a BSF spokesperson.

Kaliachak / Malda District

Acting on a tip off the intelligence wing of BSF arrested one person, identified as Sariful Sheikh along with FICN with face value of INR 5, 00,000 from market area in Kaliachak Police Station in Malda District.

West Bengal

In the rural bylanes and the small towns of West Bengal, terror is hiding in plain sight. They sometimes manifest in the unassuming next-door-neighbour with a 9-to-5 job, such as Mehdi Mashroor Biswas, an educated middle class youth from Bengal who handled the IS' twitter handle from Bengaluru. They also take the form of young housewives trained in using ammunition and making improvised explosive devices in unrecognised madrasas (Islamic Seminary). Intelligence sources say West Bengal -- which shares long and semi porous border with Bangladesh -- has been on the radar of Pakistani and Bangladeshi terror outfits for a long time and the radicalisation menace was spreading fast, stoked both by the 10,000-odd unrecognised madrasas and the proliferation of online terror posts.

Kolkata

Kolkata Police STF arrested three suspected ISI agents two of whom are known as Trinamool Congress leaders in Kolkata. The trio, booked on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistani intelligence agency, has been identified as Ashfaque Ansari, his father Irshad Haidar Ansari and his close relative (maternal uncle) Jahangir Khan. Police said they were allegedly involved in supporting suspected ISI agent Mohammad Eizaz, who was arrested on November 27, 2015 from Meerut's Cantonment station in Uttar Pradesh, in getting fake Indian ID proofs. Police said several fake passports from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India along with many important documents and counterfeit currency were recovered from the men arrested.

Baishnab Nagar / Malda District

The BSF arrested a Bangladeshi National, identified as Majrul Rehman along with FICN of INR 18,00,000 close to the international border in Baishnab Nagar in Malda District.

Irshad Ansari, his son Asfaq Ansari and their relative Mohammed Jahangir, who were arrested for suspected connection with Pakistan's ISI, have been charged with waging war against the state. Police Prosecutor Avijit Chatterjee said they found a lot of espionage evidence against the three, including drawings, photos and maps of vital installations Netaji Subhas Dock of Kolkata Port Trust and Garden Reach Ship Builders. Calling it a "clear antinational act", Chatterjee said the three supplied information and data to the intelligence agency of a neighbouring country, arguing against their bail plea. The Police will now interrogate them to trace the tentacles of the espionage network.

The NIA, which is probing the seizure of FICN in West Bengal, interrogated a Bangladeshi national, Majirul Rehman who was apprehended two days ago by the BSF for smuggling in counterfeit money. Rehman, said to be a resident of Bangladesh's Chapainawabganj District, was arrested by the BSF troopers while he was trying to smuggle in fake currency notes in Sovapur border outpost area in Malda District. "While the local police have registered the case, we interrogated Rehman to see if he has links with a gang involved in smuggling FICNs. We have not taken up the investigation of this case but if ordered we will surely undertake investigations," an NIA officer said.

Suspected ISI operative Asfaq Ansari, former general secretary of Harimohan Ghosh College in Kolkata, has named the two ISI officers who liaised with him, his father Irshad Ansari and maternal uncle Mohammad Jahangir, says Kolkata Police. "Asfaq used to get in touch with two ISI officials in Pakistan, apart from Irshad's brother Irfan and Amir Bhai. While Amir Bhai was responsible for handling the Ansari family espionage in Kolkata in the early years, another handler named Salim took over from 2010-11. Salim insisted on using secure media like Skype and codes to communicate," an officer said.

The STF of the Kolkata Police, arrested a passport agent, identified as Sheikh Badal in Kolkata for his alleged links with Pakistan's ISI. It was Sheikh Badal, had helped arrested suspected ISI-spy Mohammad Ejaz alias Mohammad Kalam in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh in managing a fake voter identity card, a senior officer of the STF said. "Badal and Jahangir have been friends for quite a long time. Jahangir was into tailoring before he started working as agent at the Regional Passport Officer here and it was there he met Badal... The two became close friends," the officer said.

A serving Army Hawaldar, identified as Farid Khan was arrested by Delhi Police from Siliguri in West Bengal in connection with the alleged espionage racket linked with Pakistan's ISI. Farid Khan, allegedly shared secret information with suspected intelligence operatives. "He was arrested from Siliguri today by the eight-member Crime Branch team which was rushed there," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said.

"Farid used the code-name "Surgeon" and he came under the Police scanner after they obtained a CD -- which recorded conversations -- from the possession of Khan. Farid, booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act, was produced before a court and shall be brought to Delhi by December 7, on a transit remand," said a Crime Branch official.

The NIA has unravelled a FICN racket, which seems to connect all the arrested terror suspects--the ISI agents caught in Kolkata (West Bengal), the suspect arrested in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), the Jammu and Kashmir schoolteacher and the six others arrested in Bangladesh. "One arrest has been leading to the other, connecting them with a common link," said an NIA officer. Even the arrest of Fareed Khan, belonging to the 17th J&K Light Infantry on Sunday came on the heels of the arrest of another ISI suspect, from Rajouri in Jammu on Saturday. "The Siliguri arrest was based on leads from other suspects," the officer said. The RAB's Friday (December 4) arrest of the six, in Bangladesh including a Pakistani national, Abdullah alias Selim, who was caught with fake notes with the face value of Rs 1 crore, was also based on NIA inputs.

With Islamic State (IS) raising its head in Bangladesh, West Bengal government has directed all security agencies to step up vigil on some madrasas (Islamic Seminary) in areas bordering Bangladesh. An alert has been sounded across all Police Stations in all areas bordering Bangladesh. While local Police Stations have been asked to keep an eye on suspicious activities, if any, in these madrasas, the state IB has started collecting regular updates.

The STF of Kolkata Police conducted raids at the residence of a suspected ISI agent in Howrah District and arrested his brother along with numerous fake passports. According to a highly placed source in the Kolkata Police, the raid was conducted at Mohammed Illias's Tikiapara home from where several fake passports were seized following the detention of his brother Mohammed Farookh. Illias's name came up during a grilling session of Sheikh Badal, a passport agent arrested last week for helping a suspected ISI-spy Mohammad Ejaz alias Mohammad Kalam held in Uttar Pradesh in managing a fake voter card. Illias, along with his wife, absconded to Germany earlier this month, the officer said. "We have detained his brother and are questioning him to know what actually Illias was upto. We are examining Illias's laptop and other documents seized from his residence," he said.

The STF believes that the intelligence network of the Pakistan's ISI in Kolkata is the tip of the iceberg. Officials say that Fareed Khan, the Army jawan (trooper) arrested from Siliguri in West Bengal has deep-rooted connections with ISI agents in Kolkata. "During interrogation, Irshad admitted that Md Eijaz, recently arrested by Meerut Police, had entered Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) with gate pass twice between July 2013 and January 2014 and made two 20-minute videos and sent them to Pakistan," an STF official said.

NIA which is probing a pan-India FICN racket, is developing a strategy to arrest the members of different modules in Malda District of West Bengal that are pumping fake currency in the entire country. "We have specific cases regarding fake currency from Malda and the office there is investigating it," Sharad Kumar, Director General of NIA stated in Kolkata. He visited the city to take stock of their regional office and the Malda unit that looks after the FICN cases.

According to sources, the focus of the agency is to find out how terror modules are using fake currency rackets to fund their operations. According to sources, at least five arrests in the last 15 days for carrying fake currency have started worrying NIA officials as interrogation revealed that all of them were procuring currencies from Malda District.

The exploitation of uninhabited islands of the Sundarbans by anti-national elements and the need for comprehensive mapping of the area was discussed at a meeting of Defence and Security agencies in Kolkata. The issue emerged at the second annual lead intelligence agency conference for stakeholders of West Bengal and Odisha at the headquarters, Coast Guard Region (Northeast). The Indian Coast Guard is the lead intelligence agency for coastal borders and the coordinating agency for coastal security.

Bardhaman

The NIA filed its second supplementary chargesheet in the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman (West Bengal) blast case, in which JMB terrorists were allegedly involved. In the chargesheet, the NIA claimed that the JMB had planned a series of terror attacks in India from the neighbouring country. In its 200-page chargesheet, filed with 36,000 documents, the agency named 19 more people, mostly Bangladeshi terrorists. The NIA, in its chargesheet, indicated the influence of the Islamic State (IS) over JMB. An NIA team, led by its DG Sharad Kumar, had visited Dhaka after the blasts and held meetings with security and defence officials of Bangladesh.

West Bengal

Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the NIA revelation on JMB's activities in India, strengthens the Bangladesh government's claim on the recent rise in terror modules in the country. "These modules are likely to be patronized by forces in Pakistan," he said. The NIA has warned that JMB was preparing for fidayeen (suicide) attacks and that after spreading wings in border Districts and Bardhaman, they were eyeing fresh recruits from further south of Bengal like South 24-Parganas.

Malda District

NIA arrested one person, identified as Amirul Sheikh from Golapganj village under Golapganj Police Outpost reportedly in connection with running a FICN peddling racket in Kaliachak of Malda District.

West Bengal

Dawood Ibrahim, is the brain behind smuggling FICN from Bangladesh to West Bengal with the support of his mentors in Pakistan's ISI. Earlier, Bangladeshi officials arrested six men from near Dhaka airport and seized several crores of FICN. Among the arrested was Pakistani national Abdullah alias Salim. Interrogation revealed that their boss was Dawood Ibrahim, and that D-Company (as his gang is called) has a network in Malda District and in some border districts of West Bengal.