Bengaluru Police Detain Trinamool Leader Linked to Online Fraud Case
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Synopsis
The Bengaluru Police arrested two individuals, including a Trinamool Congress leader, in West Bengal for their involvement in a significant online forgery case. The operation has raised concerns about broader networks operating in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Bengaluru Police arrests Trinamool Congress leader.
- Online forgery operation involved crores of rupees.
- Investigations started in December last year.
- Multiple incriminating items seized from suspects.
- Party denies responsibility for individual actions.
Kolkata, Jan 31 (NationPress) The Bengaluru Police apprehended two individuals, including a Trinamool Congress leader, in the Nadia district of West Bengal on Friday, in relation to an extensive online forgery operation involving crores of rupees.
The individuals arrested have been named as Pinku Mondal, a former representative of the Trinamool Congress at the village panchayat level, along with his close associate Kamaluddin Hasan.
They have been placed on transit remand and returned to Karnataka. Their arrest followed a coordinated effort between the Bengaluru Police and the district police of Nadia.
An official from the district police disclosed that several incriminating items were confiscated from their possession, including numerous ATM cards, bank passbooks, and mobile phones.
The district leadership of Trinamool Congress has made it clear that they will not be held accountable for the personal actions of Mondal.
"Should the accused be found guilty, he will face punishment according to legal statutes. Nevertheless, the party will not accept responsibility for individual misdeeds," stated Rukbanur Rahman, the district president of the party and a legislator.
It has come to light that the Bengaluru Police initiated an inquiry into this matter in December of the previous year, following a report received by their cyber-crime division concerning an online forgery that involved nearly Rs 5 crore.
The investigation indicated that the forgery network was predominantly based in Nadia district, with connections to the adjacent Murshidabad district. However, district police suspect that Mondal and Hasan might just be minor players, with a more powerful figure orchestrating the operation.
Recent discoveries by both state and central agencies that specialize in tackling economic crimes have shown that West Bengal, particularly the vicinity of Kolkata, is increasingly becoming a prime location for establishing operational bases for inter-state online forgery schemes, often targeting foreign residents.
Just last week, officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) dismantled a similar operation in West Bengal, executing simultaneous raids at ten locations primarily situated around Kolkata.
This particular racket was reported to have swindled overseas clients under the guise of offering software-related services via counterfeit call centers, subsequently channeling the funds collected abroad as cryptocurrencies.
