Noida Police have uncovered a sophisticated fraud operation, arresting six individuals for running a fake "International Police & Crime Investigation Bureau" in Sector 70, Noida. The accused, all hailing from West Bengal, were found to be impersonating government officials and extorting money from the public using forged documents, fake IDs, and police-style insignia.
The operation was based out of a rented premises in Sector 70, which the group had acquired on June 4th. Within a short span of time, they transformed the office into a replica of an official agency, complete with police-like colors, logos, and signboards. To further enhance their credibility, they displayed forged certificates purportedly from various government ministries, including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Ayush, and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The gang claimed affiliations with international organizations such as Interpol, the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), and Eurasia Pol, falsely asserting they worked on "international crimes and criminals". They even went so far as to claim they had an office in the UK. To project an image of legitimacy, they operated a website (www.intlpcrib.in) where they displayed these fake credentials and solicited "donations" from unsuspecting individuals.
According to officials, the accused contacted people under the guise of verification or inquiries, posing as members of an "international-level investigation agency". They possessed counterfeit stamps, letterheads, and replicas of various government emblems to further deceive their targets.
The police raid, conducted around midnight on Sunday, resulted in the seizure of a substantial amount of evidence, including forged IDs, ministry certificates, cheque books, ATM cards, visiting cards, signboards, mobile phones, and ₹42,300 in cash.
DCP Central Noida, Shakti Mohan Awasthi, stated that the gang was "attempting to function as a parallel policing system and deceive the public". He added that the logo they used bore similarity to a government police insignia, although no copyright or trademark existed for it.
The accused have been identified as Bibhash Chandra Adhikari, Aragya Adhikari, Babul Chandra Mandal, Pintu Pal, Samapadmal, and Ashish Kumar. Their educational backgrounds vary from below Class 12 to graduates in law and arts. All six are originally from different districts of West Bengal and were living together in the rented office premises.
A case has been registered against them under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, and the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. These charges pertain to forgery, cheating, impersonation, endangering safety, and the unlawful use of protected names or symbols.
The bust comes shortly after a similar case in Ghaziabad, where a man was arrested for running a fake diplomatic mission. Police are investigating any potential links between the two operations and are working to identify any additional accomplices or victims. The accused are currently in judicial custody, and further investigations are ongoing.
