Siliguri: A team of Panbazar Police from Guwahati arrested Harsh Agarwal, 30, in Siliguri, West Bengal, on Monday, naming him the key accused in an alleged fraud of Rs 11.50 crore involving forged Indian Army supply orders, impersonation of Army officers and fabricated financial documents, according to a police press release reported by ANI. The inter-state operation followed specific intelligence inputs and leads developed during the investigation, police said.

Source: ANI via Indian Economic Observer

The probe was led by Inspector Sankar Jyoti Nath, Officer-in-Charge of Panbazar Police Station, who spearheaded an examination of financial transactions, digital evidence and intelligence inputs, the release said. NE Wire, reporting the same arrest, said investigators concluded that this examination helped establish Agarwal's alleged role in orchestrating the fraud and setting the scheme in motion.

Source: NE Wire

How the alleged deception worked, according to police

Police allege that Agarwal masterminded the initial deception by introducing his brother, Ayush Agarwal, to the complainant as a distant relative involved in Army supply contracts. The accused allegedly exploited an existing business relationship to gain the confidence of M/s Global Traders, Guwahati, and facilitated fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 11,50,56,180, according to the press release. These are police allegations; the case is under investigation and no court finding has been reported.

Further investigation is underway to trace the remaining defrauded amount, identify other beneficiaries and apprehend the remaining accused persons, police said. The case has been registered at Panbazar Police Station as Case No. 214/2026 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act.