Northeast Desk, 22nd April: Tripura Police successfully thwarted a fraudulent attempt to impersonate Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s undersecretary, leading to the arrest of the culprit, identified as Arup Deb. Deb had been making deceptive calls to several media outlets, claiming connections to the CM’s office and soliciting favors under false pretenses.
The scheme came to light when senior journalist Pranab Sarkar, editor of Headlines Tripura News Channel, received a suspicious call from Deb, who sought illicit benefits in exchange for purported advertising opportunities. Sensing foul play, Sarkar verified Deb’s identity with the Chief Minister’s office, uncovering the deception.
Promptly alerting Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and senior police officials, Sarkar facilitated Deb’s swift apprehension. Recounting the incident, Sarkar revealed, “He requested two mobile phones as a bribe for advertisement placements. Upon consultation with the CM’s office, it became clear he had no affiliation with the administration. Continuing the charade, I complied with his requests until his physical presence allowed for his apprehension by the police.”
The timely intervention by Sarkar and Tripura Police averted potential fraudulent activities, underscoring the importance of vigilance and verification in combating deception and protecting against illicit schemes.