The West Bengal police have apprehended a man in Chennai for allegedly scamming a private hospital in Kolkata out of crores of rupees through a cyber scheme. The accused, identified as Sikandar Bacha, was taken into custody in Chennai and transferred to the Bidhannagar Police Station on transit remand. A sum of Rs 30.72 lakh, part of the embezzled funds, has been recovered from him.
Earlier this month, Atanu Mukherjee, a vice-president at a private hospital in Baguiati, received a WhatsApp message from an unfamiliar number, portraying the hospital’s managing director, Prashant Sharma. The message, claiming a change in contact number for official communication, led Mukherjee to transfer a significant amount from the hospital’s account to another upon receiving subsequent instructions. It was later revealed that he had been deceived in a cyber fraud incident.
Following Mukherjee’s complaint, an investigation was initiated by the Baguiati police, leading to the identification of the fraudulent bank account linked to the scam in Tamil Nadu. A team was dispatched to locate the culprit in Tamil Nadu, resulting in the arrest of Sikandar Bacha in Chennai. He was presented in court and granted seven days of police custody as the inquiry continues to determine potential accomplices in the crime.
Efforts to recover the remaining stolen funds are ongoing, with Rs 30.72 lakh already reclaimed by the authorities.
