Kolkata Police arrest four in cyber fraud case, recover items worth Rs 17 lakh

Kolkata, July 27 (IANS) Four persons were arrested and items worth Rs 17 lakh recovered following multiple raids in the city, said Kolkata Police on Sunday. The raids were carried out as part of the police investigation into a cyber-fraud case, which was registered earlier this month.

The raids were conducted jointly by officers of the Cyber Cell of the Port Division of Kolkata Police and the Garden Reach Police Station.

According to the police, the arrested persons have been identified as Md Arif Khan (26), Raja Hati (28), Md Ahasan Ali (21), and Bikash Kumar (24).

As many as 39 mobile phones, eight power banks, three sealed wrist watches, one tab, two sealed Bluetooth speakers, one sealed headphone, one scooter, and Rs 2.5 lakh cash were recovered. The value of the recovered items would be anywhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 17 lakh.

"A case of cyber fraud was registered on July 18, where one person named Sandip Kumar Agarwal (32) alleged that he lost Rs 1.18 lakh in a cyber-fraud. He alleged that some unknown persons had created a fake website of Axis Bank with a customer care number. They had persuaded him to click on the fake and malicious link sent on his WhatsApp, and subsequently, his mobile phone system got hacked and a sum of Rs 1,18,410 was debited from his account," a senior city police officer said.

During the investigation, the police discovered that the accused persons used the fraudulently obtained money to procure costly electronic devices for sale in various parts of Kolkata.

"It was also known that the gang operated both in Jamtara and Kolkata. A special investigation team was constituted. After prolonged surveillance and planning, multiple raids were held last night, and as a result, four persons were arrested and several valuable items were recovered," said the police.

Further investigation is underway to find out the money trail and details of others involved in the crime.

--IANS

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