Kolkata, September 1: The police in West Bengal‘s Bankura district announced on Monday the dismantling of a significant cyber fraud racket operating from the densely forested Ranibandh area.
District Superintendent of Police V.G. Satish informed the media that seven individuals have been arrested in connection with this racket. Initial investigations revealed that the total amount involved in the crime is approximately ₹72 crore. Satish stated, “Our officers are currently interrogating the suspects to gather information about the main masterminds behind this operation.”
Recently, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal identified Ranibandh as a potential hotspot for cybercrime, prompting Bankura police to enhance surveillance using modern technology.
To compile a list of suspects, officials employed data analytics, account tracing, transaction trail analysis, and criminal linkages. They tracked transactions from accounts where victims’ money was deposited, investigated subsequent transfers, and analyzed the time gaps between deposits and withdrawals. A list of ATMs frequently used for cash withdrawals was also prepared.
Satish remarked, “All these clues proved to be crucial.” Among those arrested are Pintu Mandi, Arshal Soren, Debabrata Pal, Sovan Soren, Dibyendu Malik, Avinash Mandi, and Deepak Sardar. Pal hails from Balasore in the neighboring state of Odisha.
Police seized 34 bank passbooks, 13 ATM cards, and nine checkbooks, along with Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and EPIC cards.
Investigators believe that the arrested individuals are minor operators in a larger nationwide racket. Satish added, “We are still questioning them to obtain information about their mastermind.”
It is noteworthy that during a recent event by Kolkata police, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari highlighted the rising complaints of cybercrime, with many victims losing their savings. In July, Kolkata police launched a month-long awareness campaign across the city to educate citizens about cyber fraud, covering 120 locations under 60 police stations.
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