Assam: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has made a fresh arrest in connection with the Rs 2,200 crore online trading scam in Assam. The arrested individual, Gopal Paul, was apprehended from a hideout in Siliguri and is linked to the AJRS Marketing case, one of 41 cases under investigation by the agency.
According to a CBI spokesperson, the agency took over the probe into the scam following a recommendation from the Assam government. Previously, the investigation was handled by the Assam Police, which had already arrested several key suspects, but Paul had remained at large.
Since the CBI assumed control, the investigation has gained momentum. The agency has conducted fresh searches at 92 locations across five states, resulting in the seizure of 24 mobile phones, 18 desktops, seven hard drives, and 11 laptops. These items are expected to provide crucial evidence, including databases containing details of investors deceived by the unregulated deposit schemes.
In one of the significant developments, the CBI successfully apprehended the primary accused in the AJRS Marketing Pvt. Ltd. case. The accused had been evading arrest since the filing of the FIR and was found at a hideout in Siliguri, where incriminating evidence was also recovered.
The scam, which surfaced in late August, involved investors who had invested large sums of money into the stock company of 29-year-old Deepankar Barman. Investors claimed that Barman had failed to pay the promised returns, and his office had been shut down since August 21.
So far, the state police have arrested several individuals connected to the scam, including Barman, Bishal Phukan, and actress Sumi Bora along with her husband. A total of 18 people have been arrested in the case, with authorities continuing their efforts to track down other individuals involved in the fraud.