In a significant crackdown on international cybercrime, the Cyber Crime Wing of the West Bengal Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) alleging that seven residents of the state were willing participants in a vast, organised transnational cyber fraud network. This syndicate is said to have operated from bases in Myanmar, Cambodia, and other South-East Asian nations.
The Accused and the Allegations
The police complaint, filed by Inspector Ranajit Mukherjee, names Avik Mistry, Somnath Panda, Sourav Mondal, Anik Bhowmik, Dipankar Jana, Pollob Debnath, and Souvik Mondal as the accused. The FIR was registered at the Eco Park Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The case stems from the interrogation of 22 repatriated Indians from Bengal on November 19 and 20.
While these seven are accused of being willing participants, the complaint reveals a darker narrative of exploitation. It states that another 15 repatriated Bengal residents, along with the accused seven, were ‘trapped’ and appear to have been primarily in bonded labour conditions. The police have indicated that further investigations are ongoing to unravel the full scope of the operation.
Modus Operandi and Massive Scale
The criminal network, allegedly controlled primarily by foreigners, engaged in a range of cyber-enabled crimes over the past few years. These included sophisticated investment scams, matrimonial fraud, and job fraud, targeting victims not just in India but also in the United States and other countries. The proceeds from these fraudulent activities are estimated to have surpassed a staggering ₹100 crores.
The complaint details a chilling recruitment process. Agents would lure Indian youths with promises of legitimate jobs like data entry operators or receptionists in Thailand. They would arrange travel and logistics, receive the recruits at airports, and then transport them to locations like KK Park in Myanmar. Once there, many were allegedly forcibly confined and coerced into executing online frauds against their fellow Indians.
International Links and Money Laundering
The operation's sophistication extended to its financial channels. The police complaint alleges that the network was involved in human trafficking, illegal confinement, and the use of illegal IT tools to hack devices. The illicit profits were then laundered through modern and traditional methods, including cryptocurrency and hawala channels.
The case came to light following an email from the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Delhi Police's i4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) on November 13. The communication was regarding the repatriation of about 360 Indians from KK Park, Myanmar, by the Government of India via special flights on November 18 and 19. Inspector Mukherjee requested the complaint be treated as an FIR to prevent multiple, fragmented investigations.
A Deputy Inspector General (DIG) from the Cyber Crime Wing, which is leading the probe, stated that more arrests are likely as the investigation progresses deeper into the transnational syndicate.
