Bengal cybercrime bust: ₹72 crore racket cracked, 7 arrested in Bankura
Synopsis
A remote forest belt in West Bengal's Bankura district quietly became the hub of a ₹72 crore cyber fraud network — until data analytics and ATM trail-mapping led police to seven arrests. The kingpins remain at large, and investigators say the figure could climb as more accounts are unravelled.
Key Takeaways
Bankura District Police dismantled a cyber fraud racket on 31 August , arresting 7 individuals from the Ranibandh area of West Bengal .
Estimated fraudulent transactions stand at ₹72 crore , a figure likely to grow as investigations continue.
Police seized 34 bank passbooks , 13 ATM cards , and 9 cheque books , along with Aadhaar, PAN, and EPIC cards.
The seven arrested are believed to be low-level operators; kingpins remain unidentified and are being pursued.
Ranibandh was flagged as a cybercrime hotspot on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal before the crackdown was launched.
Kolkata Police ran a month-long awareness drive in July across 120 locations and 60 police stations amid rising cyber fraud complaints.
Bankura District Police in West Bengal on Monday, 31 August announced the dismantling of a major cyber fraud racket operating out of the Ranibandh area — a remote, forest-dense region of the district — with seven individuals arrested and an estimated ₹72 crore in fraudulent transactions traced so far.
How the Racket Was Exposed
Ranibandh had been flagged as a potential cybercrime hotspot on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, prompting Bankura Police to intensify surveillance using modern investigative techniques. District Police Superintendent V.G. Satish told reporters that investigators relied on four pillars: data analytics, account tracing, transaction trail analysis, and criminal linkage mapping.
Officers tracked the money trail from accounts where victims' funds were deposited, examined subsequent transfers, analysed the time gap between deposits and withdrawals, and prepared a list of ATMs frequently used for cash-outs. 'All these proved important clues,' Satish said.
The Seven Arrested
The individuals taken into custody are Pintu Mandi, Arshal Soren, Debabrata Pal, Sovan Soren, Dibyendu Malik, Avinash Mandi, and Deepak Sardar. Notably, Debabrata Pal is a resident of Balasore in neighbouring Odisha, indicating the racket's cross-state reach.
Police seized 34 bank passbooks, 13 ATM cards, and 9 cheque books, along with identity documents including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and EPIC cards.
Small Operators, Larger Network
Investigators believe the seven arrested are low-level operatives in a wider pan-India network. 'We are currently interrogating them to get information about their masterminds,' Satish said. The hunt for kingpins is ongoing, with police using the seized financial instruments to map upstream connections.
The initial estimate of ₹72 crore in criminal proceeds is expected to rise as interrogations progress and more accounts are traced.
Rising Cybercrime Concern in Bengal
The bust comes against a backdrop of mounting cybercrime across West Bengal. At a recent Kolkata Police programme, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari acknowledged that complaints were rising, with many victims losing their savings. In July, Kolkata Police launched a month-long awareness campaign spanning 120 locations across 60 police stations to educate citizens about cyber fraud tactics.
The Ranibandh operation signals a broader crackdown, with district-level forces now deploying data-driven methods previously associated only with metropolitan cyber cells. Whether the masterminds behind this network are identified will determine the full scale of the fraud.
Point of View
If it holds, would rank this among the larger district-level cyber fraud cases in recent memory. The real test is whether the interrogation chain leads upward, or whether — as has happened before — the network simply reconstitutes with new mules once the heat passes.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ₹72 crore cybercrime racket busted in West Bengal?
Bankura District Police dismantled a cyber fraud network operating from the Ranibandh area of West Bengal, arresting seven individuals on 31 August. Investigators estimate the total fraudulent amount at ₹72 crore, though this figure may rise as more accounts are traced.
Who are the seven people arrested in the Bankura cybercrime case?
The arrested individuals are Pintu Mandi, Arshal Soren, Debabrata Pal, Sovan Soren, Dibyendu Malik, Avinash Mandi, and Deepak Sardar. Debabrata Pal is from Balasore in Odisha, pointing to the racket's cross-state links.
How did Bankura Police crack the cybercrime network?
Police used four investigative tools — data analytics, account tracing, transaction trail analysis, and criminal linkage mapping — to identify suspects. They tracked money flows from victim accounts, monitored subsequent transfers, and mapped ATMs used for cash withdrawals.
Are the masterminds behind the Bengal cyber fraud caught?
No. According to District Police Superintendent V.G. Satish, the seven arrested are believed to be small operators in a larger pan-India network. Interrogations are ongoing to identify and locate the kingpins.
Why is Ranibandh significant in this cybercrime case?
Ranibandh, a remote forested area in Bankura district, was flagged as a potential cybercrime hotspot on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. This designation prompted Bankura Police to intensify surveillance, which eventually led to the arrests.
