The Bongaon Cyber Crime Police have arrested three persons, including a bank manager, after a court clerk’s identity was allegedly used to carry out financial transactions worth approximately ₹276 crore, leaving the unsuspecting victim with an income-tax liability of around ₹2.57 crore. The complainant, a resident of Gopalnagar in Bongaon who works as a law clerk at the Bongaon court, approached law enforcement authorities after his attempts to resolve the discrepancy with the bank and tax authorities yielded no relief.
Tax Notices Expose Shell Operations
The complainant first detected the fraudulent activity in 2022 while preparing his income-tax documents. During the filing process, he discovered that an active income-tax account had already been registered under his credentials. A closer inspection of official records revealed that massive financial volumes had been processed through accounts linked directly to his identity.
According to the police complaint, the misuse dates back to 2016 at a bank branch situated in Kolkata. Over three consecutive financial years, specifically 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19, business turnover and transactions totalling approximately ₹276 crore were routed through the bank account. By 2019, unpaid taxes on these high-value volumes had accumulated to roughly ₹26 crore, resulting in an assessed personal tax liability of approximately ₹2.57 crore recorded against the law clerk.
When the complainant approached the concerned bank branch, government departments, and the Income Tax Department to seek a resolution, he was shuttled between offices without assistance. His predicament escalated significantly when tax authorities served him with a formal demand notice directing him to clear the outstanding dues. Left with no recourse, he submitted petitions to the Bongaon Superintendent of Police, moved the local court, and lodged a formal complaint with the Bongaon Cyber Crime Police Station.
Forged Records and Fabricated Persona
A detailed technical probe initiated by cybercrime investigators revealed that the perpetrators had utilized the victim’s authentic Permanent Account Number and voter identification card number. However, the photograph, residential address, and specimen signatures on the documentation had been manipulated. Police suspect that the genuine identification numbers were exploited to construct an entirely fabricated profile, which was subsequently used to clear compliance checks and conduct illicit banking operations.
Acting on evidence gathered during the probe, investigators tracked down and arrested the individual who had assumed the clerk’s altered identity from the Rishra area in Hooghly district. Two additional suspects, including a serving bank manager linked to the Kolkata branch, were taken into custody shortly thereafter for their suspected complicity in facilitating the fraudulent setup.
Probe Focuses on Wider Financial Network
Investigators are questioning the three arrested accused to establish the precise procedural lapses and collusion that enabled the forged profile to pass verification. Detectives are mapping out the individual roles played by each suspect in opening the account, authorizing transactions, and managing the movement of the ₹276 crore.
The scope of the investigation has also expanded to trace the origins and ultimate destinations of the funds transferred through the Kolkata account. Police are currently working to determine the total number of affiliated accounts, verify if similar counterfeit profiles were floated, and assess the broader intent behind routing commercial turnover through an unsuspecting citizen’s credentials.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
