Guwahati, Nov 15: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Gopal Paul in connection with an online trading fraud scam involving AJRS Marketing Pvt. Ltd.
Paul, who had been evading arrest since the filing of an FIR, was apprehended at a hideout in Siliguri, where incriminating evidence was also recovered.
He has been remanded to CBI custody for interrogation and further investigation by the court of the Special Judge (CBI Cases). This development is part of the CBI’s broader investigation into 41 cases in Assam related to unregulated deposit schemes, taken over on October 8 following a recommendation by the Assam government.
Since taking over the cases, the CBI has intensified its efforts, conducting searches at 92 locations across five states. These operations have resulted in the seizure of substantial digital evidence, including 24 mobile phones, 18 desktops, 7 hard drives, and 11 laptops, which are likely to aid in unraveling the fraud and identifying other culprits involved.
So far, nine individuals have been arrested, including the proprietor of DB Stock & Consultancy, for their involvement in online stock trading fraud.
The arrested individuals are: Bishal Phukan, Sumi Bora, Tarkik Bora, Amlan Bora, Ranjit Kakoti (granted bail recently, associated with FX Trading), Abhijit Chanda, Shubhan Jyoti Kurmi and Chandan Nath.
The accused are lodged in Guwahati Central Jail, with charges filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019.
Assam has been rocked by three major financial scams that exposed critical gaps in its financial regulatory framework. Thousands of investors fell prey to stock broker groups operating without proper licensing from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Despite the state having a low stock market share of 1.1%, the proliferation of fraudulent financial activities is alarming.
