Tab scam: 3 more arrested from Siliguri, one from Alipurduar

Alipurduar, Siliguri: A special team from the Crime Branch of Bidhannagar Commissionerate has arrested a pharmacy owner in Alipurduar district in connection with the tab scam. The accused, Prabir Das, a resident of Birpara Chowpatty, was taken into custody on Saturday night and taken to Kolkata.

According to Das’s family, the police informed them that money linked to the scam was transacted through Prabir’s bank account. The alleged fraudulent activity reportedly occurred in August. However, Prabir’s father, Panchanan Das, has denied the charges, asserting his son’s innocence. “My son has no involvement in the tab scam. He has been framed. Prabir is occupied with his pharmacy and contracting work all day. We will fight this legally,” he stated.

District Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi commented on the case, saying: “Members of the Crime Branch of Bidhannagar Commissionerate arrested Prabir Das

based on specific charges and evidence of his involvement in the tab scam.”

Meanwhile, three people were arrested from two different locations of the city. A total of seven people have been arrested in the case from Siliguri so far. In a series of raids conducted on Saturday night, a team from Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Branch and Keshiary police of West Medinipur apprehended the three.

The Keshiary police arrested Najrul Islam (25 years) and Ruksana Khatun (40 years), both residents of Lelin Colony. On Saturday night, they were arrested from Balasan Colony in Siliguri. The duo, who work as labourers, are alleged to have received the funds in their bank accounts. However, they told the police that they were unaware of the money transaction.

In a separate operation, the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police arrested Mehbub Hussain from the Noukaghat area under the jurisdiction of New Jalpaiguri Police Station. It was suspected that his account was used to channel the usurped funds.

All the arrested individuals were produced in court on Sunday and subsequently transported to Bidhannagar and West Medinipur on transit remand to facilitate further investigation.