West Bengal: Man posing as CBI special counsel in cop net

KOLKATA: A lawyer staying at Baranagar and reportedly practising in Calcutta HC and Supreme Court was arrested by Gariahat police for allegedly cheating and posing as a standing counsel of the state government as well as a CBI special counsel. An Alipore court has sent him to police custody till July 16.
Cops have alleged that Sanatan Ray Chaudhuri had tried to “illegally” capture a property in the Gariahat area. Ray Chaudhuri was arrested after being intercepted in the Amherst Street area on Sunday. His car with a blue beacon was recovered from the Sinthee area. The cheating complaint against him had been registered on June 30, following which police verified the credentials with both state government and CBI before moving in and making the arrest.

Police claimed Ray Chaudhuri had used the fake identity to call the Taltala OC on June 25 and asked him to help someone.
At the court hearing, public prosecutor Sourin Ghosal stated how the accused had prepared forged documents claiming that Calcutta HC had made him the receiver of the property at Gariahat. “He claimed that he was granted permission to promote the property. We need to investigate how he prepared the forged document and need him in police custody,” said Ghosal.
Defence counsel Tirthankar Roy said severe charges were slapped on an innocent man. He said the complainant is mainly fighting a property dispute case and it was a civil matter. The wife of the accused said: “I am not aware of any fraud. We have with us relevant documents. I will go to the police station to enquire about the arrest.”
The arrest comes within a fortnight of police arresting fake IAS officer Debanjan Deb who had organized false vaccination camps. Another such imposter, Md Asiful Haque, who used to pose as a senior vigilance officer, was arrested from Shakespeare Sarani a week ago.
DC (SED) Sudip Sarkar said: “We received the complaint against Ray Chaudhuri a week ago. During investigation, we have prima facie found evidence that indicates that he was involved in forgery, impersonation of a public servant and criminal conspiracy with others to usurp a land and building in the Gariahat area. The accused used to move in a blue beacon-fitted SUV and impersonated as the standing counsel of the state government on social media. The accused had also written on his social media accounts that he is a CBI special counsel.”
Just like Debanjan, some of Ray Chaudhuri’s photographs with political leaders have surfaced. One of them is with actor-turned-BJP leader Rudranil Ghosh. “I knew him as an advocate. There are several people I meet everyday. I did not know him personally,” said Ghosh.
Cops have recovered documents which show that Chaudhuri had applied for primary membership of BJP. Trinamool and BJP got involved in a political slugfest over this. TMC MP Saugata Roy said: “The BJP needs to explain how their membership cards are lying in the houses of fraudsters. They also need to explain the photographs of the fraudster with Rudranil Ghosh. BJP leader Joy Prakash Majumder said: “When the money from Saradha dried out, TMC leaders set up a factory to make fake officers. The result is bogus officers across the state.”