CBI Charges Siliguri Trust in Rs 23 Crore Digital Scam Investigation

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Central Bureau of Investigation Charges Trust and Manager in Digital Scams

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken action against a Siliguri-based trust and its manager, charging them with alleged digital arrest scams totaling Rs 23 crore.

According to the CBI, the victim, a 78-year-old retired banker named Naresch Malhotra, was coerced into paying the sum over a period of six weeks via phone calls and video conferencing.

Malhotra was initially contacted by an individual claiming to be from a mobile network provider, informing him that his Aadhaar card had been linked to a suspected terror funding case in Mumbai. The conversation was subsequently redirected to persons impersonating Mumbai police officers, who threatened Malhotra and demanded payment of Rs 22.92 crore “to walk free” in the case.

Perpetrators Used Threats and Forged Documents to Dupe Victim

Throughout this ordeal, Malhotra was intimidated by the scammers, who warned him not to reveal the incident to anyone, including his family members. The perpetrators even provided forged Reserve Bank of India (RBI) certificates after each transaction, assuring Malhotra that the money would be returned and that a nodal officer from the RBI would contact him.

CBI Finds Link Between Mule Accounts and Other Cyber-Fraud Cases

The CBI has found that the same bank account was used in at least two other cyber-fraud cases involving mule accounts. These types of accounts serve as the backbone of such operations, allowing scammers to layer transactions and complicate recovery efforts by investigators.

Chargesheet Filed Against Trust’s Manager and Organization

According to officials, a chargesheet has been filed against the trust’s manager, Sagnik Roy, and his organization, Securing World Social and Economic Development Council. It was discovered during the investigation that Roy and his company received the stolen funds from Malhotra, a resident of Delhi’s upscale Gulmohar Park.

Importance of Tracking Financial Flows Across Jurisdictions

These cases highlight the tactics employed by fraud networks to infiltrate seemingly legitimate entities and launder their gains, making it essential for agencies like the CBI to track financial flows across multiple jurisdictions.