Kolkata Police Crack Down on Digital Arrest Scam, Arrest Three Accused
In a significant breakthrough, Kolkata Cyber Police have arrested three individuals involved in a sophisticated digital arrest fraud that swindled a senior citizen of Rs 3 crore. The operation also resulted in the seizure of six SIM boxes and 130 active SIM cards, all embedded in a wired system cleverly disguised to look like a grocery store setup.
Details of the Arrests and Investigation
Arpan Sikdar, a 24-year-old resident of Maniktala, was apprehended on Wednesday, following the earlier arrests of two other suspects. The case came to light when the complainant, Bidhan Ghosh Dastidar, was targeted by fraudsters posing as officials from courier services around October 5 last year.
The scam unfolded with the callers falsely claiming that a parcel in Dastidar's name contained illegal items. Using a common modus operandi, they then asserted that the matter was under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). One caller, impersonating a CBI officer, displayed forged identity cards during a video call and threatened arrest, forcing Dastidar and his wife to remain under constant video surveillance.
Escalation of the Fraud and Financial Loss
As the scam progressed, other individuals joined in, posing as senior officials and sending fabricated documents bearing the logos of the CBI, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), ED, and the Supreme Court of India. Under duress and threat of legal action, Dastidar transferred a staggering Rs 3 crore to bank accounts controlled by the accused.
During the investigation, police examined the calling numbers used to contact Dastidar and traced them to an illegal SIM box setup located in north Kolkata. In an initial operation, authorities seized 12 SIM boxes and 2,000 SIM cards, leading to the arrest of two persons.
Forensic Analysis and Technical Breakthrough
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Rupesh Kumar revealed that a laptop seized in the earlier raid was sent for forensic imaging, data extraction, and artifact analysis. Examination of browser history and network logs uncovered access to web-based control panel IPs, linked to a platform serving as a command-and-control panel.
This panel enabled remote configuration and operation of the illegal SIM box infrastructure, including VoIP routing, call masking, and traffic manipulation. A reverse IP lookup and Internet Protocol Detail Record analysis then identified repeated authenticated sessions from a broadband subscriber, Mili Mondal of Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas, based on KYC records.
Raid and Discovery of Hidden Setup
Acting on this lead, police conducted a raid at the premises linked to Mondal. Initially, the search failed to locate the router or SIM boxes. After questioning Mondal, her parents, and her boyfriend Arpan Sikdar, officers used a Wi-Fi scanning application for technical verification.
The team detected multiple wireless access points with similar names within the premises and, through range narrowing, pinpointed the location of concealed network devices. This led to the recovery of a SIM box setup hidden inside cardboard boxes, complete with power and router connections. The devices were covered with jute bags and garbage to avoid detection.
Items seized from the spot included:
- Six SIM boxes in working condition
- 130 active SIM cards inserted in the devices
- Three mobile phones
- Four routers
- Various other accessories
This case highlights the growing threat of digital frauds targeting vulnerable individuals and underscores the importance of robust cyber policing to combat such crimes.
