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Inside Noida's fake police agency: Human rights, seva and political connections

Inside Noida's fake police agency: Human rights, seva and political connections

India Today3 days ago
After the arrest of a fake 'ambassador', police have arrested six men from West Bengal for running a fake international police agency in Noida. The ring's alleged masterminds – the father-son duo Bibhas Chandra Adhikari and Arghya Adhikari from West Bengal – wove an elaborate web of lies that seemed straight out of a Bollywood playbook.At the heart of the extortion racket are two outfits whose names give an impression of legitimate law enforcement agencies: the International Police and Crime Investigation Bureau and the National Bureau of Social Investigation and Social Justice.advertisementThey extorted money from people facing allegations of crime or corruption. The group issued summons and asked victims to appear at its offices in Kolkata and Noida. The expansion of its operations to Noida was recent.COCKTAIL OF INFLUENCE
Sporting a white dhoti–kurta and a moustache mimicking Sunil Dutt's in Padosan, Bibhas Chandra Adhikari projected the classic Bengali persona of a bhadralok. According to his social media profile, he delivered religious sermons at his 'ashram' in Krishnapur, Birbhum district, ran colleges, participated in social events, and hobnobbed with influential politicians of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
The institutions he owns include an ayurvedic college, an ayurvedic medicine factory, a B.Ed. college, a D.Ed. college, and a nursing college at several locations in Birbhum.During a raid, Uttar Pradesh Police recovered forged documents, seals and website material designed to project global reach. On its websites, the gang claimed to have offices overseas – including in the UK and the US. It claimed affiliations with Interpol, the International Human Rights Commission, 'Eurasia Pol', and 'Asia Pol', the UP Police said in a statement. The outfit also claimed to have offices in every Indian state.The racket ensured that each claim was backed by smartly produced fake documents. For instance, one fake organisation issued a letter 'authorising', after 'verifying all documents', the use of car stickers, badges and nameplates, and the issuance of press cards.
The website also claimed official affiliations with several ministries, including the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the Ministry of AYUSH.A former judge of the Calcutta High Court and former IPS officer–BJP leader Debashish Dhar are listed as functionaries on the International Police and Crime Investigation Bureau's website.
In photos, Arghya can be seen posing with vehicles fitted with a blue beacon and flanked by armed bodyguards.POLITICAL JOURNEYUntil a few years ago, Bibhas Adhikari was active in local politics and held the post of the TMC's president for the Nalhati block in Birbhum. The TMC sidelined him after his name cropped up in the teacher recruitment scam.
During the enquiry, his 'ashram' was raided and he was questioned for hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).Eventually, he left the TMC to launch a political outfit called the All India Arya Mahasabha. He even fielded seven candidates in the last panchayat elections. Photos and videos on his son's Facebook page show Bibhas holding rallies.
advertisementOn their social media, Bibhas Adhikari and Arghya Adhikari flaunted their political connections. They posted photos with former AYUSH minister Shripad Yesso Naik, Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, TMC leader Anubrata Mondal, and TMC MP Shatabdi Roy.In his hometown, there have been allegations of extortion against Bibhas. Local police officials said they intercepted him in a car fitted with a blue beacon, but he was let go with instructions to remove the light.- Ends
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