Kolkata: Five CISF personnel, including a woman constable, were among eight arrested for allegedly posing as Income Tax (I-T) officers and robbing a family of cash and jewellery during a fake raid at Chinar Park on March 18.
Three others, including the complainant’s stepmother, have also been taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the crime.
According to reports, the accused entered the house of Vinita Singh at 2 am, claiming to be IT officials, and conducted a raid. They robbed the family of ₹3 lakh in cash, jewellery worth ₹25 lakh, and a digital video recorder (DVR) linked to the CCTV cameras.
“The complainant went to the IT department and found no such raid had been conducted at Chinar Park. She then went to Baguiati police station and reported the crime,” Telegraph reported, quoting deputy commissioner (airport division), Bidhannagar commissionerate, Aishwarya Sagar.
The family members grew suspicious when they found that no official seizure list was left behind.
The first two suspects were apprehended in Kolkata, which ultimately led to the arrests of CISF personnel from Farakka in Murshidabad.
The arrested CISF personnel include Inspector Amit Kumar Singh (posted at Farakka Barrage), the main accused nabbed by a joint team of the Bidhannagar and Baguihati police on the night of March 24, Constable Lakshmi Kumari Chowdhury (formerly at RG Kar CISF unit, now posted at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port), Constable Bimal Thapa (posted at Garden Reach Shipbuilders), Head Constable Ramu Saroj (posted at Durgapur Thermal Power Station), and Constable Janardhan Sau (also at Durgapur Thermal Power Station).
All five were presented in court and have been sent to judicial custody. “They (the accused) came in two vehicles—a car and a two-wheeler. The car was identified through CCTV footage, leading to the arrest of the driver. Based on his statements, a middleman was arrested in New Alipore. The middleman then revealed that a CISF inspector had instructed him to arrange the vehicle, leading to the officer’s arrest,” Sagar explained.
Further investigation uncovered a family dispute as the possible motive. Vinita Singh’s stepmother, Arati Singh, was identified as the mastermind behind the crime.
Police reports indicate that Arati had contacts with the CISF inspector and planned the heist, promising to split the loot 50-50 between herself and the conspirators. “She allegedly engaged a relative, a head constable in CISF, to form a team that included a senior inspector and three other constables to carry out the operation,” a police source told the media.
The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including impersonation, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, theft, and criminal conspiracy.
CISF sources confirmed that all five personnel have been suspended, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated. Police are continuing their investigation to track down any other individuals involved in the crime.
The case, registered at Baguihati Police Station (Case No. 192/25 dated 18.03.2025), remains under active investigation. Authorities are also preparing for a test identification parade of the accused in jail, the reports added.
