Assam Unregulated Deposit scam: CBI raids 92 locations, arrests accused in West Bengal
The Central Bureau of Investigation, in a major breakthrough, raided 92 locations in five states in the unregulated deposit scam that has hammered thousands of depositors across the region in Assam. Thousands of depositors across the region have been affected by the scam of duping investors through high-return unregulated deposit schemes. The CBI also arrested one key accused at Siliguri, West Bengal, who had gone underground since the investigation began.
The three-day search operations, which have begun from Friday, have seized several digital devices, including 24 mobile phones, 18 desktops, 7 hard drives, and 11 laptops. The devices would provide some important evidence in the case, the CBI said, adding that the databases contained details of victims, who were manipulated into making significant investments in unregulated schemes.
It is alleged that investors were promised huge returns through online share and stock trading schemes. It was national attention that was generated when the prime accused, Dipankar Barman, who reportedly collected more than Rs 7,000 crore from gullible investors, went missing in August. He was then arrested from a homestay in Goa on October 26, from where he was retrieved with Rs 27 lakh in cash.
The Assam government had already referred the case to the CBI as over 60 people were arrested in connection with the scam. At least 33 cases were registered by the state police, and by the investigation, it was revealed how vast the fraudulent operations were. One of the most prominent companies involved was AJRS Marketing Pvt. Ltd, and sources said that this company was suspected to be associated with the prime accused who had been absconding since the beginning of the inquiry.
It evoked an outcry over the effectiveness of the oversight mechanism of the Assam government into such financial dealings, especially after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared his zero-tolerance policy against corruption after assuming office on 21 May 2021.
The opposition parties have been quite vocal regarding the criticism against the BJP government, in not taking actions that would have prevented such a large-scale scam. In the present case, those authorities have focused on unearthing the most significant facts related to the unregulated deposit fraud and, thereby ensuring that justice is served among the affected investors.
Also read: Rs 15 Lakh Lost by Man in Online Trading Scam; How to Avoid Being Cheated in 2024
