Traditional crime may seem like a relic of the past in today’s digital age. The rapid digitisation has revolutionised the landscape of criminal activities, blurring the lines of traditional demographic boundaries. Kolkata Police is at the forefront of adapting to this paradigm shift, showcasing groundbreaking investigations into cybercrime.
A recent case demonstrates this transformation: a sophisticated digital fraud targeted at a US citizen, highlighting Kolkata Police’s adeptness in combating cybercrime and digital malfeasance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), through CBI (Interpol – New Delhi), relayed crucial information to Kolkata Police regarding individuals impersonating as Norton employees. These imposters prepared fraudulent electronic documents, presenting them as genuine to deceive unsuspecting victims into making payments under false pretenses of providing legitimate technology support. In this instance, an elderly US citizen was defrauded a staggering $85,786.57 through an online banking transaction.
A case was registered at the Cyber Police Station, Lalbazar Head Quarter. (Ref: Case No. 122/22 dt. 01.11.2022, U/S-66/66C/66D read with Section 43 Information Technology Act 2000, and Sections 120B/420/467/468/471 IPC since amended U/S 306 IPC. The complainant was Raja Saha, Sub-Inspector of Police, Cyber Police Station, Kolkata Police Lalbazar Headquarters. The four accused in the case were Shizan Ali Haider, Md Atif, Subtain Ali Haider and Syed Tarique Kalam.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the IP address under scrutiny was registered to Alliance Broadband, a local service provider in Kolkata. On January 3, 2023, authorities conducted a raid at V. God Cafe, located within the Tiljala Police Station area. Shizan Ali Haider, the individual to whom the IP address was allocated by the broadband service provider, was apprehended after he refused to cooperate with law enforcement and declined to present his identification. Following proper legal procedures, he was arrested after interrogation.
On January 19, 2023, acting on gathered intelligence, another raid was carried out at Anjuman Road in Beniapukur, resulting in the arrest of Md Asif. Further investigation unveiled that the perpetrators were utilising multiple identities, including two GMail accounts. Authorities reached out to Google, which provided crucial information linking a phone number to the GMail accounts, leading to the identification of Subtain Ali Haider. He was arrested from a hotel in Ajmer, Rajasthan, on January 22, 2023.
Similarly, leveraging information provided by Google about the other GMail account, authorities tracked down Syed Tarique Kalam, who was ultimately arrested on February 10, 2023, in Pune.
Given that the victims in this case were from abroad, digital evidence played a crucial role in the investigation. Two of the foreign nationals gave their deposition before the judge, shedding light on the gravity of the situation. Shockingly, one victim revealed that the accused had incited her husband to take his own life, prompting the inclusion of Section 306 IPC alongside the existing charges.
Further inquiries revealed that all the accused were part of an extensive criminal network, operating across West Bengal and other States. The charge sheet in the case was submitted on April 17, 2023.
Inspector Shukla Sinha Roy led this intricate investigation, which demanded extensive coordination across borders and meticulous attention to every detail, whether physical or digital. She deservedly earned the esteemed Cyber Cop of the Year Award, a testament to the exceptional capabilities of the Kolkata Police. l
Details provided by:
Cyber Police Station, Lalbazar Headquarters, Kolkata Police.
Decoding Transnational Online Fraud with Precision
