The Delhi High Court has upheld a two-year sentence awarded by the trial court to two persons in 2002, holding that introduction of fake currency notes seriously affects the economy of the country.
Dismissing the appeals of Bhanwar Singh and Sakaldeep, Justice Mukta Gupta said "the punishment prescribed for an offence under Section 489C (possession of counterfeit currency notes) is for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine. In view of the gravity of the offence as introduction of fake currency notes seriously affects the economy of the country, I do not find it to be a fit case to either release the appellants on probation or the period already undergone."
"The present is further not a case where as stray person, the appellants were not aware that the currency notes were fake as the witnesses have stated that on touching the notes itself, it could be made out that the currency notes were fake. Further, one side printed notes were also recovered from the possession of Sakaldeep.
"Thus, the prosecution has been able to prove the conscious possession of the appellants as regards the fake currency notes beyond reasonable doubt and thus I find no error in the impugned judgment convicting them for the offence under Section 489C IPC," the court said.
According to the prosecution, on May 21, 1999 both the accused were arrested for having in their possession counterfeit currency notes of Rs 500 denomination and were trying to pass them as genuine.
A raid was conducted and 18 fake currencies of Rs 500 denominations were recovered from Singh's house and 45 fake currencies in Sakaldeep's residence.
Holding them guilty, the trial court had in November 2002 sentenced them to two years jail term for the offence.
