Kolkata Police arrest two cyber fraudsters in Sealdah for Rs 66.27 lakh extortion scheme

On November 8, the Charu Market Police Station in Kolkata arrested two men involved in a cyber fraud case where a woman was extorted Rs 66.27 lakh. The accused posed as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Delhi Police Cyber Crime Branch. They falsely accused the victim of legal violations and threatened her with arrest unless she paid the substantial amount to settle the fictitious case. Believing the threats were real, the victim transferred the money to the fraudsters.

The investigation began after the victim reported the fraud, and police used electronic data analysis to track the location of the accused. This led to a raid at a hotel in Sealdah, Kolkata, where the two suspects were arrested. The arrested individuals were identified as Dhanaji Jagannath Shinde, 36, from Mumbai, and Vinod Kondiba Pawar, 40, from Navi Mumbai. Shinde was the primary beneficiary of the extorted funds, as the payment was made to his YES Bank account. Pawar, identified as an associate, assisted in carrying out the scam.

During the raid, police seized three mobile phones, a pre-activated SIM card, bank documents, and other relevant materials from the suspects. Shinde and Pawar used social engineering techniques to convince the victim that she was under investigation for a legal violation. The victim was coerced into transferring the money under the belief that it was a necessary payment to avoid arrest.

Further analysis of the seized devices and documents is underway, and police are continuing to investigate the full scope of the fraud network. The arrested men are believed to have been operating as part of a larger group responsible for similar fraudulent activities across the country. The Charu Market Police have stated that their efforts are ongoing to uncover more details about the network and prevent further scams targeting unsuspecting individuals. The case highlights the increasing threat of cyber fraud in the region and the critical role of law enforcement in addressing such crimes.