4 including mastermind held over pretext of offering US dollars

Kolkata: The Detective department of Bidhannagar Police has arrested four persons in connection with the cheating case of selling dollars in front of Paribesh Bhavan near Beleghata.

Sources said among the arrested persons, one was the mastermind behind the whole operation.

The duo arrested earlier were given the task to identify such people who could be there target. The four identified as Iliyas Hossain, Mohammad Robiul Mir, alias Musha, Sobahan Howladar and Melon Shaikh.

All of them were arrested from Mahammadpur in Rajarahat area. All of them were remanded to 4-day police custody.

According to the police, on the morning of August 30, a person named Abdul Halim, a resident of Karaya lodged a complaint with Bidhannagar South Police Station.

He informed he has been duped of Rs 1 lakh. Two persons promise to sell him hundred notes of 20 US dollar.

Halim said he met a person at Chittaran National Medical College hospital on August 30, who claimed that his name is Kabil.

At that moment, Kabil was collecting help saying he needs money for his father's heart operation. Hearing the poverty issue, Halim gave him a hundred rupee note. Just after that, Bilal took out a 20 US dollar note and asked Halim to exchange it. Halim took the dollar and later exchanged it from Park Street. After Rs 950 was handed over to Kabil and his father near Paribesh Bhavan crossing, Kabil asked Halim that he is in dire need of Rs 1 lakh for his father's operation.

If Halim provides him with the money, then he would give him the 100 notes of 20 US dollar. On September 4, Kabil's brother Musha and his father handed over a packet wrapped in a towel.

After the money and packet got exchanged, Musha asked Halim to open the packet to verify the dollars. When Halim was unpacking it, both Musha and his father fled. On opening the packet, Halim found some folded newspapers and a dishwashing soap bar.

Police informed Mir is the principal accused, who is the mastermind. Rest three were given the task to identify and approach persons who could be there possible targets.