Howrah student impersonating ACP, dupes people on Facebook with fake profile

Sayantan Das, a college student from Howrah, was arrested for creating a fake Facebook account impersonating ACP Sambrati Chakraborty, a senior officer from the Bidhannagar Intelligence Department. The incident came to light following a complaint lodged on November 9, 2024, at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. The complaint detailed how multiple individuals had been approached via Messenger by a Facebook account bearing the officer's name, with the impersonator asking for money. Authorities confirmed that the fake account had been used to deceive people into believing they were interacting with an official from the Intelligence Department.

The police immediately initiated an investigation into the matter. After tracing the origin of the fraudulent account, they identified Sayantan Das as the culprit. The accused was apprehended from the Howrah area, where he had been operating the fake account. The police have gathered evidence linking Das to the scam, and they are working to determine the total number of people who may have fallen victim to the fraudulent activity. Authorities have stated that they are focused on expanding the investigation to understand the scope of the operation.

Sayantan Das has been charged with impersonation, fraud, and online harassment under applicable sections of the law. The case is currently under further investigation, with authorities looking into how the fake account was created and used to ask for money from victims. The Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station has registered a formal complaint and is proceeding with a thorough inquiry to assess the full impact of the scam.