ED Launches Extensive Raids Across West Bengal in Online Fraud Investigation
Click to start listening
Kolkata, Jan 2 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has commenced raids at numerous locations across West Bengal in relation to an alleged online forgery scam that began early Thursday, as per informed sources.
According to insiders, these raids and search operations are being carried out following a complaint lodged in Chennai concerning an online forgery case involving over Rs 1,000 crore.
Investigative findings indicated that these fraudulent activities have expanded into several eastern Indian states, primarily in West Bengal, prompting the ED to take action.
Sources report that the current operations are active at eight different locations within the state, including five in and around the state capital, Kolkata. Each ED team is supported by personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
The raids initiated at a garage in Salt Lake, located on the northern outskirts of Kolkata, where the forgery activities were allegedly taking place. One person has been detained at this site, and raids have also begun at the residence of a businessman named Sadanand Jha, located in a high-end housing complex in Raghunathpur, also in the northern outskirts of Kolkata.
These raids and searches are ongoing.
It has been reported that the Kolkata Police recently apprehended an individual named Tanmay Paul on forgery charges amounting to Rs 60 lakh. However, investigations revealed that Paul was involved in a larger nationwide racket, having defrauded approximately 300 individuals for a total exceeding Rs 60 crore.
Following this, the ED also began its investigation, leading to the raids conducted on Thursday.
Numerous cases of cyber forgery have surfaced recently in West Bengal, with many instances involving fraudsters impersonating officials from central investigative agencies or cybercrime divisions of various state police forces to extort significant sums, often threatening victims with arrest.
