Kolkata: Many of you will remember Padma Shri Dr. Sushovan Bandyopadhyay, who passed away in Kolkata on July 26 from kidney-related complications. A physician and philanthropist, he was renowned as ‘Ek Takar Daktar’ (one-rupee doctor) in his hometown of Bolpur, where he charged his poor patients just Re.1 for their treatment. Today, we bring to you the story of the scam that his family fell victim to during his last days.
Trying to purchase a haemodialysis machine for her 84-year-old father in July, Dr. Bandyopadhyay’s daughter Dr. Mandira Banerjee searched online and found a supplier called Radhe Kidney Equipment in Ahmedabad. After several conversations, Dr. Banerjee paid the seller Rs.4,65, 000 in several installments beginning July 13 from her bank account.
The delivery date was supposed to be July 22, but Dr Banerjee failed to contact Radhe Kidney Equipment on the day, and realized she had been defrauded when the number she had been calling was found to be switched off. When she attempted to call the number mentioned in the seller’s invoice, she found that it belonged to a lady whose number was being illegally used by the seller, and who had been receiving similar phone calls from several people who had all been cheated.
Dr. Banerjee then lodged a complaint at Maniktala Police Station, which was forwarded to the Cyber Cell, East Suburban Division (ESD). Immediately, the Cyber Cell began contacting nodal officers of all the banks where the money had been deposited. After scrutinizing account statements, it was learnt that the disputed amount had been further transferred to various other accounts. The Cyber Cell collected beneficiary details and KYC documents of this second group of accounts and proceeded to freeze them.
Very shortly, two beneficiaries of these accounts contacted the Cyber Cell to inquire why their accounts had been frozen. The first account belonged to an automobile showroom, and it was learnt that a two-wheeler had been purchased from them using the stolen money. The second beneficiary informed us that Rs.14,000 had been paid to the account as rental fee for dialysis equipment.
Information about the payer(s) in both cases was obtained from KYC details provided by the banks, and they were found to be Milan Mansukhbhai Vadodariya, Krutika Rabindra Kumar, and Rabindra Kumar Suthar of Amhedabad, Gujarat.
Analysis of technical data and other details with the help of the ESD Monitoring Cell helped to physically locate the accused. An FIR was filed by Maniktala Police Station, and a team from Maniktala left for Amhedabad. On August 1, with help from local police and other sources, Vadodariya and Suthar were arrested by officers of Maniktala Police Station, and the entire sum of money was recovered thanks to the efforts of Cyber Cell ESD.
In an email dated August 8, Dr. Banerjee provided full details of the incident and confirmed that her money had been refunded to her by the accused in the presence of the police within 10 days of her filing the complaint. She has also thanked us for our prompt and decisive action, and particularly mentioned Inspector Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee (OC Maniktala Police Station), Sub-Inspector Rajesh Modak (Investigating Officer in the case), Sub-Inspector Md. Asrif Reza, Sergeants Brojen Sarkar and Prasenjit Sikdar (Cyber Cell ESD), and Sergeant Alok Ghosh (Maniktala Police Station).
Our, Reporter in Chief
R. Manoj Kumar Sharma
Siliguri City, West Bengal
