The Bongaon Cyber Crime Police have arrested three persons, including a bank manager, after a court clerk's identity was allegedly used to carry out financial transactions worth approximately ₹276 crore, leaving the unsuspecting victim with an income-tax liability of around ₹2.57 crore.
The complainant, a resident of Gopalnagar in Bongaon who works as a law clerk at the Bongaon court, approached law enforcement authorities after his attempts to resolve the discrepancy with the bank and tax authorities yielded no relief whatsoever.
How the Fraud Was Discovered
The complainant first detected the fraudulent activity in 2022, while preparing his own income-tax documents. During the filing process, he discovered that an active income-tax account had already been registered under his credentials. A closer inspection of official records then revealed that massive financial volumes had been processed through accounts linked directly to his identity.
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Three Financial Years, ₹276 Crore in Transactions
According to the police complaint, the misuse dates back to 2016, at a bank branch situated in Kolkata. Over three consecutive financial years, specifically 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19, business turnover and transactions totalling approximately ₹276 crore were routed through the bank account.
By 2019, unpaid taxes on these high-value volumes had accumulated to roughly ₹26 crore, ultimately resulting in an assessed personal tax liability of approximately ₹2.57 crore recorded against the law clerk, an ordinary salaried individual who had no knowledge of any of it.
When the complainant approached the concerned bank branch, government departments, and the Income Tax Department to seek resolution, he was shuttled between offices without any real assistance. His predicament escalated significantly when tax authorities served him with a formal demand notice directing him to clear the outstanding dues. Left with no other recourse, he submitted petitions to the Bongaon Superintendent of Police, moved the local court, and lodged a formal complaint with the Bongaon Cyber Crime Police Station.
Forged Records Built Around Real Identity Numbers
A detailed technical probe initiated by cybercrime investigators revealed that the perpetrators had used the victim's authentic Permanent Account Number and voter identification card number. However, the photograph, residential address, and specimen signatures on the documentation had all been manipulated.
Police suspect that these genuine identification numbers were exploited to construct an entirely fabricated profile, which was subsequently used to clear compliance checks and conduct illicit banking operations, essentially creating a synthetic identity built on a real person's verified credentials.
Acting on evidence gathered during the probe, investigators tracked down and arrested the individual who had assumed the clerk's altered identity, from the Rishra area in Hooghly district. Two additional suspects, including a serving bank manager linked to the Kolkata branch, were taken into custody shortly thereafter, for their suspected complicity in facilitating this fraudulent setup.
Investigators Now Mapping a Wider Financial Network
Investigators are questioning the three arrested accused to establish the precise procedural lapses and collusion that enabled the forged profile to pass verification checks in the first place. Detectives are mapping out the individual roles played by each suspect in opening the account, authorising transactions, and managing the movement of ₹276 crore.
The scope of the investigation has also expanded to trace the origins and ultimate destinations of the funds transferred through the Kolkata account. Police are currently working to determine the total number of affiliated accounts, verify whether similar counterfeit profiles were floated elsewhere, and assess the broader intent behind routing commercial turnover through an unsuspecting citizen's credentials.
FAQs
Q1. How did the victim discover his identity had been misused?
While preparing his income-tax documents in 2022, the law clerk discovered an active income-tax account already registered under his credentials, with massive transactions linked to his identity.
Q2. How much money was routed through the fraudulent account?
Approximately ₹276 crore in business turnover and transactions was routed through the account across three financial years (2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19), leaving the victim with a ₹2.57 crore tax liability.
Q3. How did fraudsters pass verification checks using the victim's identity?
They used the victim's authentic PAN and voter ID numbers, but manipulated the photograph, residential address, and specimen signatures to construct a fabricated profile that cleared compliance checks.