LUCKNOW, July 5 -- The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested an alleged fake Indian currency trafficker carrying a reward of Rs.25,000 from West Bengal's Malda district. The accused is suspected to be part of a cross-border counterfeit currency racket with links to Bangladesh. The arrested man has been identified as Zakir Ali, a resident of Thakur Das Mandalpara in Deonapur village under Vaishnavnagar police station in Malda district. He had been absconding since November 2024 in connection with a fake currency case registered in Varanasi. According to the ATS, intelligence inputs suggested that a network based in West Bengal was procuring counterfeit Indian currency allegedly printed in Bangladesh and smuggling it into India. The fake notes were then supplied to Uttar Pradesh and several other states. The investigation began after the ATS received information that Mohammad Suleman Ansari, a resident of Bihar's Vaishali district, was travelling to Uttar Pradesh with counterfeit currency. Acting on the tip-off, an ATS team arrested Ansari and his associate, Mohd Idrish, in Varanasi on November 19, 2024. Police said fake Indian currency with a face value of Rs.2 lakh was recovered from the two accused. A case was registered at Sarnath police station, and both were sent to jail. During questioning, the two allegedly told investigators that the fake currency had been supplied by Zakir Ali. The ATS further alleged that Zakir received the counterfeit notes from Rafiqul, a Bangladesh-based operative who smuggled them into India. Zakir, along with his associates, allegedly distributed the fake currency to different states. Following the investigation, the ATS announced a reward of Rs.25,000 for Zakir's arrest as he had remained on the run. The ATS arrested him from Malda on Friday after completing the required legal formalities and brought him to Varanasi for further questioning. Officials said Zakir is being interrogated to identify other members of the cross-border counterfeit currency network and trace its wider operations. Further legal action will be taken on the basis of the investigation....