17th accused in Rs1.6 crore digital arrest case nabbed from WB

Indore: The crime branch of Indore police on Sunday arrested the 17th accused in a digital fraud case. The latest arrest was made in West Bengal.

The accused, identified 42-year-old Swapan Modak, a private employee, was taken into custody following technical leads obtained during interrogation of previously arrested accused Abhishek Chakravarty from Cooch Behar, West Bengal.

A 59-year-old woman from Indore fell victim to a scam involving fake Skype and WhatsApp video calls. Posing as officials from central govt agencies like the CBI, RBI, and police departments, the fraudsters claimed she was involved in a money laundering case and coerced her into transferring Rs 1.6 crore under the pretence of investigation.

The investigations led to the arrest of 16 individuals from various states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The accused used sophisticated social engineering tactics and operated through a wide network of bank accounts, SIM cards, and communication tools. So far, over 100 bank accounts have been frozen, and items such as 17 mobile phones, 12 passbooks, 8 ATM cards, and 12 SIM cards have been seized.

Swapan Modak, who studied up to Class 12, played a key role in the syndicate by luring people with false loan promises and convincing them to provide their bank accounts for illegal transactions. He facilitated the travel and accommodation of account holders whose credentials were used across state lines, earning commissions ranging from 1%–2% per transaction. He was introduced into the gang by Abhishek Chakravarty and confessed to enlisting multiple individuals into the scam network.