The office of West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi has issued a public advisory warning citizens, government officials, and dignitaries against fraudulent telephone calls made by an unknown individual impersonating the Governor or officers of Lok Bhavan in Kolkata. The advisory, released on Friday night, identifies a specific mobile number — +91 98365 40163 — as the source of the suspicious calls.

What Was Reported

According to the statement issued by Lok Bhavan (formerly Raj Bhavan), it recently came to notice that an unidentified person had been placing calls from the flagged number to senior government officials and other prominent individuals, falsely claiming to represent the Governor or his office. The statement urged recipients of such calls not to act on any unsolicited or suspicious communication without first verifying its authenticity directly with Lok Bhavan.

Complaint Filed with Cyber Crime Cell

'Taking serious note of the matter, Lok Bhavan has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Cell, Kolkata Police. A case has been registered, and the matter is under investigation,' the official statement read. According to a source within Kolkata Police, investigators are working to trace the accused by examining tower location data and call detail records linked to the mobile number in question.

Scope of the Investigation

Police have already reached out to several individuals who reportedly received the fraudulent calls, and are seeking to establish the content of those conversations as well as any common thread among the recipients. 'We are trying to know what the person said on the calls he made to such persons. We are confident that we will find the culprit soon,' the police source said. Investigators are also coordinating with officials at Lok Bhavan to gather additional leads.

How the Public Can Report

Lok Bhavan has urged anyone who receives such a call — or holds information about the impersonation — to immediately report it through official channels. The contact number provided is 033-2200-1641-44 and the official email is generalcellgs@gmail.com. Citizens have been specifically advised not to respond to or comply with any request made in such calls before verifying the caller's identity with the Governor's office directly.

The incident highlights a growing pattern of impersonation fraud targeting government institutions across India, and comes at a time when cyber crime cells in major cities are handling a rising volume of such complaints. The Kolkata Police investigation is expected to progress as call records and tower data are analysed.