Three arrested for extorting woman by posing as police officers

KOLKATA: Three persons were arrested by the cops of Bidhannagar Cyber Crime police station for allegedly compelling a woman to transfer money by posing as police officers on late on Thursday night.

The woman, identified as Priyanka Das of Baguiati, had obtained a loan from a private company. Sources informed that Das had failed to pay a few instalments in the repayment schedule.

On February 14, she received a call from an unknown number which was being reflected as the phone number of Bidhannagar Cyber Crime police station in the Truecaller application.

The unknown caller introduced himself as an officer of the police station and told the woman that the representatives of the private company from where she had taken the loan are about to make a complaint against her for not paying the schedule instalments.

Das was asked to transfer Rs 18,233 to a bank account to avoid any legal move. Out of fear, she transferred the amount. After transferring the money, she called up a representative of the loan providing company to ensure that the money was credited in their bank account.

The employee of the private company asked Das to wait as he checked the details.

Meanwhile, she got a call from another number where the caller told her to settle the loan completely by paying Rs 55,000 as the company did not want to continue the loan.

Out of fear, she again transferred the money. A few moments later, the original employee of the company called her and said that they had not received any amount and none of their representatives went to the police station.

During probe police found that the, money had landed in two separate bank accounts.

Cops traced one of the bank account holders identified as Mithun Mondal of Gosaba South 24-Parganas and arrested him on February 28.

He was grilled in police custody following which police came to know about two more persons identified as Somath Banerjee of Birati and Sudipta Sarkar of Dumdum who provides their bank account for landing of cheated money against commission.

The duo was produced at the Bidhannagar ACJM Court on Friday and were remanded to police custody for six days. Meanwhile, the investigation into the matter is underway.