MUMBAI, Jan. 21 -- A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday framed charges against three men accused of circulating high-quality fake Rs.2,000 notes on the instructions of a Pakistan-based associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The accused, identified as Riyaz Abdu Rehman Shikilkar, Nasir Usmangani Chaudhary and Mohammad Fayaaz Shikilkar, pleaded not guilty to charges of counterfeiting, circulation of fake currency and terror-related offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case dates back to November 2021, when the Thane police seized 149 counterfeit Rs.2,000 notes from Riyaz Shikilkar and arrested him. The police claimed that during interrogation, he revealed that the fake currency was circulated on instructions received from a handler referred to as 'uncle', operating from Pakistan. After the probe was taken over by the NIA in 2023, the agency identified the handler, 'uncle', as Javed Patel alias Javed Chikna, allegedly a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. The NIA said the quality of the seized notes and the organised manner of circulation indicated a well-coordinated network rather than isolated acts of forgery. Subsequently, the agency re-registered the case and invoked UAPA provisions, alleging that the counterfeit currency racket was intended to generate funds for unlawful and terror-related activities. The NIA also claimed that searches conducted at multiple locations led to the recovery of incriminating material and weapons, reinforcing the terror-financing angle....