Burdwan cyber fraud: 4 arrested, ₹6.7 lakh traced across 28 accounts
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Cyber Police Station in East Burdwan district, West Bengal, arrested four individuals on Wednesday, 27 August in connection with a cyber fraud operation that allegedly funnelled approximately ₹6.70 lakh through 28 suspicious bank accounts linked to more than 60 separate cyber fraud cases, according to a senior police officer.
Who Was Arrested
The four accused — Bijoy Debnath, Shivam Biswas, Tarunjit Debnath, and Shubho Bala — are residents of the Champahati and Hatshimala areas under Nadanghat police station in East Burdwan. Police traced the suspects after collecting customer application forms, call detail records, and KYC documents from banks and telecom companies, all of which reportedly pointed to the four accused.
How the Fraud Network Operated
Investigators say the suspects were linked to six Point of Sale (POS) agents who supplied SIM cards registered using fake documents. A total of 268 suspicious mobile numbers were identified. These SIM cards were allegedly used to carry out fraud through fake calls, SMS scams, investment fraud, and so-called digital arrest schemes — a method in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement to extort victims.
The fraudulent proceeds were reportedly routed through accounts at the Rail Bazar branch of a state-owned bank in Nasratpur, Samudragarh, under Nadanghat police station. According to police, approximately ₹6.70 lakh in suspected fraud money was deposited across the 28 accounts identified so far.
How the Investigation Began
The case was initiated after the West Bengal state cyber crime cell flagged suspicious transactions and forwarded a report to the Burdwan Cyber Police Station. Officers registered a suo motu case and began tracing the money trail back to its source. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities still working to determine in whose names the accounts were opened, who withdrew the funds, and where the money was ultimately transferred.
What Investigators Are Probing Next
Police have described the information obtained from questioning the four arrested persons as significant. Investigators are now working to identify other individuals involved in the network, including those who may have operated the accounts or directed the laundering of funds. The scale of the alleged fraud — spanning more than 60 linked cases and 268 mobile numbers — suggests a coordinated operation rather than isolated incidents. This arrest comes amid a broader crackdown on cyber fraud networks across West Bengal, where digital arrest scams and investment fraud have seen a marked rise in recent months.