Fake currency bigger threat than drugs: AIUDF's Ajmal after Guwahati bust
Synopsis
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal has escalated the political stakes around Assam's counterfeit currency crackdown, calling it a graver threat than drugs and a total government failure. With a BJP MLA now naming a specific printing hub at Bongalmora and nine arrests already made, the Guwahati fake-note bust is turning into a multi-party accountability flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal called fake currency circulation a bigger threat than drugs on 9 July , terming the racket a '100 per cent government failure.' Assam Police recently busted an alleged counterfeit currency network in Guwahati , seizing a large cache of fake Indian currency notes.
BJP MLA Manab Deka alleged that sophisticated machines were being used to print fake notes at Bongalmora in his constituency.
Police have arrested nine persons in connection with the Bongalmora printing racket.
Assam Minister Biswajit Daimary called the problem nationwide and urged citizens to share tip-offs with law enforcement.
Investigators are probing possible interstate and cross-border links in the fake currency network.
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and Binnakandi MLA Badruddin Ajmal on Thursday, 9 July declared that counterfeit currency circulation poses a graver threat to society than the drug menace, calling the Guwahati fake-note haul a '100 per cent failure of the government' and demanding the strictest possible action against those involved in both rackets.
Ajmal's Charge Against the Government
Reacting sharply to the recent seizure of a large quantity of counterfeit Indian currency notes in Guwahati, Ajmal questioned the origin of the fake notes and the network responsible for their circulation. 'Counterfeit currency is an even bigger problem than drugs. Where are these fake notes coming from, and who is circulating them? This is a 100 per cent failure of the government,' the AIUDF legislator said.
Ajmal also reiterated his demand for stringent enforcement, including tough police action against hardened criminals. 'Those involved in the trade of drugs and fake currency should face the strictest action. If police take tough action, including encounters against hardened criminals, such activities can be curbed,' he said.
Assam Minister Calls for Public Cooperation
Assam Minister Biswajit Daimary responded by contextualising the problem beyond state borders, urging citizens to assist law enforcement. 'This is not happening only in Assam. Such incidents are taking place elsewhere as well. If citizens provide information about people or gangs involved in these activities, the police will certainly act against them. We appreciate those who are helping the police with information,' Daimary said.
BJP MLA Points to Printing Hub in Bongalmora
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Manab Deka made a specific allegation, claiming that counterfeit notes were being printed using sophisticated machines at Bongalmora in his constituency before being pushed into circulation. 'There is a place called Bongalmora where fake notes are being printed to cheat innocent people. Police have launched a strict crackdown and arrested nine persons in connection with the racket a couple of days ago,' Deka claimed.
Scale of the Guwahati Fake Currency Bust
Assam Police recently dismantled an alleged counterfeit currency network in Guwahati, seizing a large cache of fake Indian currency notes. Investigators are probing the source of the notes, possible interstate and cross-border links, and the wider production and distribution network. Police confirmed that further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the racket and trace the origin of the counterfeit notes.
Notably, the alleged presence of sophisticated printing machinery points to an organised operation rather than a small-scale forgery unit — a detail that investigators are treating as a significant lead. This comes amid broader concerns across northeastern India about cross-border networks exploiting porous frontiers for both narcotics and currency fraud.
What Happens Next
With nine persons already arrested and a multi-agency probe underway, authorities are expected to widen their net to trace interstate and international supply chains. Political pressure from across party lines — including from the AIUDF, BJP, and the state government — signals that the issue is likely to remain in sharp focus in the Assam legislative and law-enforcement arena in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not just a rhetorical flourish. Counterfeit currency, if circulated at scale, corrodes monetary trust and disproportionately harms cash-dependent rural economies; in that sense, the comparison has economic merit. What is striking is the cross-party convergence: a BJP MLA naming a specific village as a printing hub while an opposition leader calls it a governance collapse. That consensus should compel the state to move beyond arrests and publish a credible account of the network's scale and origins. Assam's proximity to international borders makes it structurally vulnerable to such operations, and a reactive crackdown without systemic border-intelligence reform risks becoming a recurring headline rather than a lasting solution.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Badruddin Ajmal say about fake currency in Assam?
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal stated on 9 July that counterfeit currency circulation is a bigger threat than the drug menace and called the racket a '100 per cent failure of the government.' He demanded the strictest action, including police encounters against hardened criminals involved in fake currency and drug trafficking.
Where was the fake currency network busted in Assam?
Assam Police busted an alleged counterfeit currency network in Guwahati, seizing a large cache of fake Indian currency notes. BJP MLA Manab Deka separately alleged that fake notes were being printed using sophisticated machines at Bongalmora in his constituency.
How many people have been arrested in the Assam fake currency case?
Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged fake currency printing racket at Bongalmora, according to BJP MLA Manab Deka. The broader Guwahati network investigation is ongoing.
What is the government's response to the fake currency seizure?
Assam Minister Biswajit Daimary acknowledged the problem but noted it is not confined to Assam alone. He called on citizens to share information with police, saying law enforcement would act on credible tip-offs.
Are there cross-border links in the Assam fake currency case?
Investigators are probing possible interstate and cross-border links in the counterfeit currency network, according to police. The origin of the fake notes and the full extent of the distribution network are still under investigation.
