Who is the mastermind behind the Tripura chit fund scam arrested in West Bengal?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The CBI arrested Tapan Pramanik, the main suspect in the ₹4 crore chit fund scam.
- Pramanik had been evading law enforcement for over a decade.
- The case involved fraudulent activities perpetrated by M.P.S. Agro-Animal Projects Ltd.
- Extensive investigative methods led to his capture.
- Investor vigilance is crucial to prevent financial fraud.
New Delhi, Jan 18 (NationPress) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended the mastermind of a Rs 4 crore investment scam in Tripura on Sunday, as reported by an official. Tapan Pramanik, who was named a Proclaimed Offender by a Special CBI Court in Tripura on January 16, 2023, was detained in Nadia district, West Bengal. The CBI produced him before a local court in Nadia to secure transit remand for his transfer to Tripura, according to the statement.
His arrest was the result of extensive field verification, physical surveillance, and detailed Call Detail Record (CDR) analysis, as stated by the CBI.
Pramanik has been on the run since 2012 and was declared a Proclaimed Offender by the Special Judge of Gomati District, Udaipur, Tripura, in connection with the chit fund case.
The CBI initiated this case on October 8, 2013, against Pramanik, the Director of M.P.S. Agro-Animal Projects Ltd, and others, following notifications from both the Tripura and Central governments.
It was alleged that the accused fraudulently gathered between Rs 3 to 4 crore from the public under the guise of investment, but misused the funds.
After concluding the investigation, the CBI filed a charge-sheet on October 13, 2015, and a supplementary charge-sheet on May 31, 2019, against Pramanik and his co-accused.
Pramanik failed to cooperate with the investigation, leading to a charge-sheet being filed against him as an absconder. A warrant for his arrest was issued by the Special Court, but he remained elusive, according to the CBI.
On January 16, 2023, the Special Court classified Pramanik as a Proclaimed Offender. The CBI made continuous efforts to locate him during the trial, but he could not be found.
The company implicated in the fraud, MPA Agro-Animals Projects Limited, is an unlisted public company established on December 26, 2008, and is based in Santipur, Nadia, West Bengal. The company is involved in Agriculture and Allied Activities, providing services typically performed on a contract or fee basis.