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Noida: In a shocking incident in Noida, authorities busted a new scam where six men were found operating a fake "police station" in Sector 70, Central Noida, allegedly to extort money from unsuspecting people.
This incident comes less than a month after a similar "fake embassy" operation was busted by the police in Ghaziabad.
The gang of six accused was arrested by the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police on Sunday. The police have identified the accused as Vibhash Chandra Adhikari (27), Aragya Adhikari (26), Pintu Pal (27), Samapdal (25), Babul Chandra Mandal (27), and Ashish Kumar (57), all natives of West Bengal.
According ot the police, they were operating a bogus office under the name of the "International Police and Crime Investigation Bureau." They were reportedly living together in the rented premises where the fake operation was based, officials told news agency PTI.
According to police reports, the gang had decorated their office with police-like colors, emblems, and signage. They further bolstered their facade by displaying counterfeit certificates purportedly issued by prestigious government ministries, including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Ayush, and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The accused posed as government officials, utilising forged identification cards, fake insignia, and fabricated documents to dupe people and extort money.
Their elaborate claims extended to alleged links with Interpol and the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), asserting they dealt with "international crimes and criminals" and even claimed to have an office in the United Kingdom.
The racket was busted following a tip-off about suspicious activities at the Sector 70 address. A raid was conducted around midnight on Sunday, leading to the arrest of the six individuals.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Shakti Mohan Awasthy confirmed the arrests and stated that the operation had been active for about 15 days, with the accused having made a rent agreement on June 4th. They also operated a website, www.intlpcrib.in, and accepted "donations."
In an official statement, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police took to X and said, “Six accused arrested for fraudulently extorting money from the general public by creating a fake office under the name INTERNATIONAL POLICE & CRIME INVESTIGATION BUREAU in an organized manner, misleading people, falsely posing as government officials, and using police-like colors and logos to influence them."
The police seized incriminating evidence from the premises, including nine mobile phones, 17 stamp seals, six cheque books, nine identity cards, a PAN card, a voter card, six ATM cards, three types of visiting cards, ministry-recognised certificates, and a CPU. Four boards displaying the "International Police and Crime Investigation Bureau" name, Rs 42,300 in cash, and other documents were also recovered.
A case has been registered against the six accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, and the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act at the Phase 3 police station in Central Noida. Further investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of their operations and any potential victims.
