Lakhimpur: The notorious fake gold artefact and counterfeiting of bank notes have resurfaced in Lakhimpur, Assam again after a lull of several months.
The arrest of three persons on Monday while taking money from duped customers from Uttar Pradesh reaffirms the continued and unabated proliferation of this infamous trade under Laluk and Bihpuria Police Stations of Lakhimpur district.
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On August 26 police arrested Rashidul Farazi, Afzalur Rahman and Ashraful Islam from the Pandhowa area of Bangalmora in Lakhimpur.
The trio had reportedly taken Rs 2 lakhs from one Mohammad Shoaib from Uttar Pradesh in exchange for fake gold artefacts.
Two more accomplices of the arrested persons managed to escape.
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Earlier on August 4 one Deepak Nashikule from Nagpur in Maharashtra were duped by fake gold traders from Bangalmora taking away Rs. 4 lakhs of cash.
The infamous fake gold artefacts of Bangalmora consist of boat-shaped bars and crucifixes that allured buyers from various parts of the state in the past, then from the neighbouring states including West Bengal and presently from across the country.
Similarly, the counterfeiting trade involves handmade boxes with coloured lights and meters indicating a printing machine for bank notes.
These activities, which remained unchecked with intermittent arrests or recovery of goods, gained statewide attention following the mysterious death of police officer Junmoni Rabha in May 2023. An alleged police-criminal nexus to this illicit trade saw the transfer of the Lakhimpur SP and Additional SP and a lightening operation against the fake gold traders of Bangalmora by Lakhimpur police.
Hasina Begum, who hogged media limelight during the Junmoni Rabha death sensation by alleging the involvement of a section of police with this illicit trade, was arrested by police on August 10 following a complaint of demanding money from alleged fake gold traders. Her arrest led to police operations in Bangalmora and the recovery of counterfeit bank notes worth several lakhs. On August 20, Lakhimpur Police, on the basis of statement by Hasina raided the house of one Rahimuddin in Mohghuli and recovered counterfeit bank notes of Rs. 4.5 lakhs. Earlier on August 11 Lakhimpur Police recovered fake gold artefacts and some counterfeit bank notes from Hasina’s brother’s room inside Hasina’s residence in Bangalmora.
With these arrests this notorious activity has returned again slowly leading to the state of its earlier situation.
The continued supply of the fake gold artefacts in Bangalmora seems to have inter-state and international connection. On July 19 a secret tunnel from the bedroom of a fake gold trader in Kultoli village of 24 Parganas district in West Bengal to Bangladesh was discovered. The house under which the bricks and concrete made 8-10 feet deep, 5-6 feet height and 4-5 feet width underground tunnel was found belongs to Saddam Sardar, an accused in West Bengal fake gold idol case.
The other end of the tunnel is linked to a canal, which is connected to river Matla in the Sunderbans, beyond which lies the Indo-Bangla international border. It is believed that the fake gold artefacts are smuggled across the border to West Bengal and Assam.