Fake CBI trio busted at SSC office in Kolkata's Nizam Palace, job racket suspected
Synopsis
Three men drove into Kolkata's high-security Nizam Palace in a government-marked luxury car, flashed fake CBI badges inside the SSC office, and demanded confidential candidate files — before alert officials locked them in a room and called police. Fake identity cards, forged ministry appointment letters, and a government-branded car were recovered, pointing to an organised job fraud operation across West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Biprashi Basu , Shubham Sarkar , and Pallab Mandal were arrested on Tuesday, 11 November 2026 after impersonating CBI officers at the SSC office inside Nizam Palace, Kolkata .
The trio arrived in a luxury car displaying Government of India logo boards, which allowed them to clear the security checkpoint.
Basu allegedly posed as a DSP-rank CBI officer ; the other two posed as inspectors seeking candidate records and confidential files.
Police recovered fake CBI identity cards , a government-branded luxury car , and forged appointment letters purportedly from central ministries.
Kolkata Police suspect the accused are part of a wider job fraud racket that collected money from aspirants against forged government appointment letters.
Interrogation is ongoing to identify other network members and assess the racket's reach across West Bengal .
Three youths allegedly impersonating Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers breached security at the sensitive Nizam Palace in Kolkata on Tuesday and attempted to extract confidential records from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) office before being caught and arrested, police confirmed on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. The Bhowanipore police acted swiftly after SSC officials raised the alarm, averting what investigators describe as a potential data heist tied to a wider job fraud operation.
How the Accused Entered Nizam Palace
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the three accused — Biprashi Basu, Shubham Sarkar, and Pallab Mandal — arrived at Nizam Palace in a luxury car fitted with Government of India logo boards on its front and rear. The vehicle cleared the security check, apparently because of the official-looking markings, and the three walked directly to the SSC office.
Once inside, Basu allegedly presented himself as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank CBI officer, while Sarkar and Mandal posed as inspectors. They told SSC officials they were probing appointments of candidates who had recently secured central government jobs through the commission and demanded access to candidate lists, personal files, and confidential documents, citing a credential verification exercise.
How SSC Officials Unmasked the Impostors
Initially, the trio's demeanour did not trigger alarm. Suspicion grew, however, when they began pressing insistently for sensitive records. SSC officials scrutinised the identity cards produced by the visitors and found them questionable. The officials then tactfully confined the three to a room and questioned them; their responses were described as inconsistent and contradictory.
The Bhowanipore police station was immediately alerted. A police team rushed to Nizam Palace, detained all three, and transported them to the station. Verification with the actual CBI confirmed that none of the arrested individuals had any association with the central investigative agency.
What Was Recovered
A search of the vehicle and the accused's bags yielded a significant haul of fraudulent materials. 'A number of fake CBI identity cards, a luxury car bearing the logo and board of the Government of India, and several forged appointment letters have been recovered from the arrested persons,' a Kolkata Police official said. The forged letters purportedly bore the letterheads of various central ministries.
Suspected Link to Job Fraud Racket
Police suspect the accused were operating as part of a broader job fraud network that allegedly cheated aspirants by promising appointments in central government departments in exchange for money. Investigators believe the gang may have issued forged appointment letters to job seekers for a fee, and that the visit to the SSC office was intended to access a specific candidate's file — possibly to lend credibility to fraudulent offers or to gather personal data for further exploitation.
Authorities are interrogating the three to establish their precise motive, identify other possible members of the racket, and map the full extent of its operations across West Bengal. The incident has also prompted a review of security protocols at Nizam Palace, which houses several important central government offices.
Broader Context
This is not the first time job fraud syndicates have targeted government recruitment machinery in West Bengal. The SSC has been at the centre of prolonged legal and political controversy over alleged irregularities in teacher and staff recruitment, making it a particularly sensitive target. The brazenness of Tuesday's attempt — arriving in a government-marked vehicle, carrying fake credentials, and walking into a high-security complex — underscores the organised nature of such networks and the security gaps they exploit. The case is now under active investigation.
Point of View
Fake DSP credentials, and a direct walk into one of Kolkata's most sensitive complexes — exposes a structural vulnerability that security theatre alone cannot fix. Nizam Palace houses multiple central government offices yet apparently relies on vehicle markings as a primary access filter, a gap any organised fraud network can exploit. More troubling is the target: the SSC, already mired in recruitment controversy in West Bengal, is exactly the kind of institution whose data would be most valuable to a job fraud syndicate. If the police's suspicion of a wider racket holds, Tuesday's arrest may be the tip of a network that has already victimised hundreds of aspirants. The focus must now shift from the three in custody to the system that enabled them to get this far.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the three men arrested at Nizam Palace in Kolkata?
The arrested individuals are Biprashi Basu , Shubham Sarkar , and Pallab Mandal , who allegedly impersonated CBI officers to gain entry into the SSC office at Nizam Palace on Tuesday. Police recovered fake CBI identity cards and forged government appointment letters from them.
What is Nizam Palace and why is it significant?
Nizam Palace is a security-sensitive complex in Kolkata that houses several important central government offices, including the regional office of the Staff Selection Commission. Its status as a secure federal premises makes the breach particularly alarming for investigators.
What is the suspected job fraud racket linked to this case?
Kolkata Police suspect the trio was part of an organised network that collected money from job aspirants in exchange for forged appointment letters purportedly issued by central government ministries. The visit to the SSC office was likely aimed at accessing candidate files to advance or lend credibility to their fraudulent scheme.
How did SSC officials detect the fraud?
SSC officials grew suspicious when the three men pressed insistently for confidential candidate records. On examining their identity cards more closely, doubts arose; the officials confined them to a room, questioned them, found their answers inconsistent, and alerted the Bhowanipore police, who confirmed with the CBI that none of the three had any association with the agency.
What evidence was seized from the accused?
Police seized multiple fake CBI identity cards, a luxury car bearing Government of India logo boards, and several forged appointment letters purportedly issued by various central ministries — all recovered from the accused's vehicle and bags at the time of arrest.
