Mumbai, Feb 05: A special court today sentenced seven alleged associates of Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, to five years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed fines of Rs 500,000 each on the charge of circulating a huge amount of counterfeit currency in the commercial capital. Judge Ashok Bhangale presiding over the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court also sentenced them to three years' RI and fines of Rs 10,000 each under Indian Penal Code (IPC) for possession of the fake currency. Both the sentences would run concurrently. Pronouncing judgement today after a marathon dictation of his order since wednesday morning, the MCOCA judge ruled that the accused-- Sohail Noman Bhamla, Monica Myurice Monis (absconding after jumping interim bail during pendency of trial), Murad Mohammed Motiwala, Shabbir Yusuf Cuttarywala, Afzal Ibrahim Jariwala, Abdul Farid Ansari and Munna alias Abid Jamal Mansoori were found guilty for possession and circulation of counterfeit currency in the denomination of Rs 500.
They were sentenced to suffer further RI of one year in the event of default in payment of fine under Section 3(I), 2(I)(A) of MCOCA Act.
Judge Bhangale also convicted them under section 489 (B) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) to possess the counterfeit currency. They are made liable to additional six months' ri in event of default in payments of fines of Rs 10,000 each on the second count.
Special public prosecution Vidya Kasle said that prime accused Sohail Bhamla and his fiancee Monica (absconding accused) were circulating the fake currency in the market by purchasing goods at lesser amount to convert fake currency into genuine currency.
On March 19, 2001, on suspicion, the crime branch picked up Sohail from Bandra. During the interrogation it was revealed that huge amount of fake currency has been circulated in the market by a group of people. Simultaneously, other people were also arrested, she said.

Kasle said during the interrogation, the accused have revealed that the currency was brought in from dubai through Dawood's middleman.

All the accused persons were chargesheeted in the designated court under MCOCA. Accused Monica Monis who was a girl friend of accused Sohail Noman Bhamla, delivered a bady during judicial custody. She was granted bail on humanitarian grounds but she took advantage and had been absconding since then, Kasle submitted.

The investigation agency has seized counterfeit currency worth Rs 52,12,500 and genuine cash of rs 2,16,000 from the possession of accused.


The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ambadas Pote and Assistant Police Inspector (API) Balkrishna Wagh investigated the offences.
Bureau Report