Hawala trader arrested in kolkata for managing finances of fake call centres
Times of India | 26 April 2025
123 Kolkata: The detective department of Kolkata Police recovered around 8 lakh and arrested a hawala trader-cum-call centre operator who was managing the finances of two fake call centres in south Kolkata. The cops also seized around 70 g of gold ornaments from the accused.
Prakash Das, 35, was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday from his Lake Gardens apartment following a raid conducted by the Cyber Police Station. Das, who is suspected to be a key figure in the illegal financial operations, was apprehended based on information obtained from previously arrested suspects.
You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata
"During the initial raid at Das's Lake Gardens residence at 1:45 am on Friday, police seized Rs 5,26,500 in cash, two mobile phones, and various gold ornaments. A subsequent search operation at his second residence in Behala at 3:00 am led to the recovery of an additional Rs 2,50,000, two cheque books, and a gold earring," said Joint CP (Crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar.
"The accused was operating as a financial manager for two fraudulent call centres in south Kolkata. This arrest is a significant breakthrough in our ongoing investigation into cyber fraud operations," said Senior Inspector Rajesh Kumar of the Cyber Police Station.
The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Banking and National Security Act, 2023. The charges include cyber fraud, illegal financial transactions, and operating unauthorized call centres.
Police sources indicate that Das's arrest could lead to further revelations about the broader network of fake call centres operating in the city. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are likely in the coming days.
Das was remanded to police custody for further questioning, and authorities are investigating his connections to other potential hawala operations in the region. MSID:: 120619143 413 |