Kolkata: The Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of the state police arrested 46 cyber fraudsters of the notorious Jamtara gang during a special drive styled as ‘operation Cyber Shakti’ in the past 15 days from different districts in the Western sector of Bengal.
On Thursday afternoon, during a Press conference at the Bhabani Bhavan, Additional Director General (ADG), South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), CCW, Rathod Amitkumar Bharat said that in the past few months, police noticed that a significant number of cyber fraud occurred in the several districts of Bengal’s Western sector. While gathering information, cops found that the modus operandi is similar to the Jamtara gang that used to dupe people earlier.
During a preliminary enquiry, cops found that the calls to the victims were made from the same and adjoining districts close to the Jharkhand border. The affected districts are Birbhum, Hooghly, East and West Burdwan.
Police informed that the most apparent mode of cyber fraud is phishing, digital arrest, fake investment schemes, sextortion, among others. Sarkar said in the past one month, more than 250 such complaints were lodged. Accordingly, 10 teams were formed by the CCW led by Bharat. The teams stayed in the affected districts. About 15 days ago three persons were arrested from Khoyerasol in Birbhum. After interrogating them, 43 more cyber criminals were arrested from the affected districts.
“They used to operate in small teams. Their targets were the residents living in Bengal close to Jharkhand. They used to stay in rented accommodations. The accused persons used to return to Jharkhand after committing a few cyber crimes,” said Sarkar.
During the operation, police seized about Rs 4.50 lakh cash, 84 SIM cards, 84 mobile phones, two laptops, 19 debit cards and details of 29 bank accounts. Sarkar said presently the Jamtara gang members have moved to several districts such as Rajasthan, Bihar, Bengal and a few other states from where they are operating to avert police action.
“Our investigation is on. Several bank accounts which are mule accounts have been freezed. Several things we cannot divulge for the sake of the investigation,” ADG South Bengal added.