Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod

Kasargod, Oct 1 : An astrologer by professional, a 21-year-old youth from Manipal perhaps could not predict his own future, and ended up in police net for having nexus with criminal network.

Gopalakrishna Pandith (21) is a close aid of fake currency kingpin Moidin Haji, who is reportedly based in Dubai and operating a fake currency racket. Haji was arrested at Manipal by a special team led by Hosadurg circle inspector K V Venugopal recently during investigations into the Rs 30 lac fake currency notes confiscated by the Kasargod police last month.

With this arrest, the number of arrests in the case has reached five.

According to information accessed by daijiworld through police, Pandith was extensively advertising his astrology business in Malayalam newspapers. Moidin Haji, who has close links with Udupi, became a client of Pandith and developed friendship with him.

Raju, another aide of Moidin who was arrested last month in this case, who also hails from Udupi, was introduced to Moidin by Pandith.

Earlier, Usman from Bantwal and Chetan Kumar were also arrested in this case. Police have been able to get important information from this duo, including the role of astrologer Pandith.

Now the police team has left for New Delhi for further investigation.

Fake Currency from Pakistan ?

Earlier, union minister of state for home Mullappalli Ramachandran speaking to daijiworld at Kasargod expressed a desire to hand over the fake currency case to National Investigation Agency (NIA). "Government is seriously thinking on this issue, as there are strong indications that the fake currency that reached Kasargod from Dubai originated from Pakistan."

Earlier there were reports that Moidin Haji who owns a printing press in Dubai was printing notes there. But the latest investigations have revealed that the Indian fake currency is being imported from Pakistan to Dubai, and supplied to Kasargod via Mangalore.

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