21 arrests till Monday in Bengal tablet scam: Police

AGENCIES, KOLKATA, 18 NOVEMBER 2024 : Police sources have confirmed that the recent arrests are related to a cyber-forgery scam targeting higher secondary students in West Bengal. The scam involved the fraudulent transfer of money intended for the purchase of tablets, which was diverted into different bank accounts instead of those of the genuine beneficiaries.

As of Monday, the total number of arrests had reached 21, with three additional arrests made in connection to the cyber forgery. These recent arrests were made in Chopra, North Dinajpur, and Siliguri in Darjeeling district. The style of operation was reportedly similar to that of the notorious Jamtara gang, which is often referred to as the "phishing capital" of the country, with Jamtara being the base for many such scams.

One of the recent arrests is a primary school teacher attached to a state-run school in North Dinajpur. The police have confirmed that the fraudulent transactions involved the diversion of money from the state government’s exchequer, which was intended for the purchase of tablets for higher secondary students across the state.

Last week, following the order of Director General of West Bengal Police Rajeev Kumar, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the scam. The SIT, comprising top state police officials, is monitoring the progress of the investigation on a daily basis.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier assured that students who did not receive the money due to the cyber fraud would surely get their rightful amount. She also confirmed that the process of sending the funds to the students' bank accounts had already begun.