A concerning trend of individuals impersonating law enforcement officers to extort money has been reported in West Bengal. Several incidents have come to light, where individuals posing as officers from agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been apprehended for extorting money from citizens.
In one instance, the CBI arrested Samrat Roy from the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal for posing as a CBI officer and extorting money from people. A team of six CBI officers raided his house and seized multiple forged documents, including fake ID cards and stamps. The arrest followed a complaint filed by one of his victims in Guwahati, Assam. The probe agency revealed that Roy had been extorting money from individuals in West Bengal and Assam by showing them fake IDs and claiming to be a CBI officer.
In a more recent case this year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested two men in Kolkata, Jinner Ali and Sinner Ali, for impersonating senior ED officers and allegedly extorting over ₹1.5 crore from a sand mining businessman based in Rabindrasani. The duo ran an elaborate con between 2023 and June 2025, posing not only as ED officials but also as heads of an anti-trafficking committee. They used a white Fortuner SUV with fake ED board plates to add credibility to their threats. The accused summoned businessmen to locations like the CGO Complex and other government buildings, threatening them with investigations, arrests, and asset attachments unless payments were made. The ED launched raids in connection with the case, revealing that one victim was coerced into transferring ₹20 lakh to a company account allegedly controlled by the accused. The businessman is believed to have paid a total of around ₹1.5 crore over two years.
Another incident involved the Kolkata Police arresting Chandan Roy for impersonating an ED officer and attempting to extort money from Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Santanu Sen. Roy allegedly called Sen, claiming there were pending cases against him and offering to help him in exchange for money. Sen filed a complaint, leading to Roy's arrest. Police revealed that Roy had attempted to blackmail several other people using the same method.
These cases highlight a concerning pattern of individuals exploiting the fear of law enforcement to extort money from unsuspecting victims. The authorities are taking these crimes seriously and are actively investigating and arresting those involved. The public is advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police.
