Without naming any country, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ajay Makan told the Lok Sabha today in a written reply to a question that such inputs also indicate that, inter alia, activists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terrorist outfit, organized criminal networks and syndicates are reportedly involved in infusion and circulation of FICN in the country.

To address the multi-dimensional aspects of the FICN menace, several agencies such as the RBI, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Intelligence Agencies of the Centre, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), etc. are working in tandem to thwart the nefarious activity related to FICNs, he added.

Apart from the above, the State Governments have been asked to set up dedicated and well-equipped Cell under senior level supervision to comprehensively monitor and deal with organized crimes including FICN, besides other administrative measures.

Further the offences under IPC relating to counterfeit currency have been includes in the Schedule to the National Investigation Agency Act, thereby empowering the National Investigation Agency to investigate and prosecute such offences. The issue has also been taken up consistently with the neighbouring countries in the bilateral fora.#