Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Guwahati: Over the past month, Assam has become a hotspot for investment scams, with a series of fraudulent schemes casting a shadow over the region’s average financial landscape. The situation escalated with the infamous DB Stocking scam where unsuspecting investors were defrauded of significant sums under the guise of lucrative returns.
On August 21, 29-year-old Dipankar Berman, who claimed to run a company called DB Stock Broking and promised huge returns on investments to his clients, locked his office in Guwahati and fled, leaving dozens of investors in the fray. Since the case came to light, the police have arrested 59 people in 28 cases in Assam.
Also Read: Gehati High Court issues notices to Assam government on custodial death of rape accused
Then came another high-profile scandal with Assam’s celebrity choreographer Somi Bora, whose deceptive investment schemes promised substantial profits but left investors empty-handed. Bishal Pokken, who operates from Upper Issam, is accused of amassing several million rupees from about 200 people by promising fixed returns of up to 30 percent or more through stock market investments — a practice that market regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) warns against. Fukan was caught at his residence in Dibrugarh, after which a police raid was carried out. Fukan was arrested alongside another man, Biflab Hazarika.
The Assam Police on Thursday, September 12, arrested actress-choreographer Somi Bora and her photographer husband Tariq Bora, after 10 days of evading arrest for their alleged involvement in the Bishal Pokken online stock trading scam, estimated to be worth at least Rs. 2,200 crores.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the Guwahati police arrested Swapanil Das at midnight. Das is accused of defrauding several people under the guise of online trading. When he operated for some time, he allegedly embezzled significant sums of money from several investors. Responding to the fraud victim’s complaint, the police acted quickly and arrested Das.
Another incident came to light when a resident of Beksa district, Mainao Brahma, was arrested at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Thursday, September 12. She was accused of amassing nearly Rs 100 crore through a fraudulent trading scheme.
The pattern of these scams highlights a disturbing trend in Assam, and with each passing day a new scam emerges. According to a city attorney, these cases target a variety of people. Speaking to GPlus, she said, “Many people, including retirees and middle-income earners, are tempted by the lucrative offers, and as a result, they decide to pour in significant portions of their savings. However, investors become skeptical after the return of guaranteed returns falters, and because of this, angry investors complain about so”.
The scams have also seen a lot of popular names involved, meaning everyone can be lured in with the promise of a huge refund in a shorter amount of time. Speaking to GPlus, a senior police officer said, “The list of investors in Pokken’s company includes many influential names in the company. Many doctors have invested handsome sums expecting higher returns. These cases attract people because they promise huge amounts in less time.”
Expressing his thoughts, a Guwahati-based businessman said, “7000 and 2200 crores of fraud is unimaginable. I just understand that there is no quick way to riches, but nowadays anyone can be lured by flashy shows and social media advertising. But ultimately, it Leads to fatal crashes with so many young people involved, I have to say it’s an unfortunate situation. I’d rather encourage everyone to work hard and stay safe.”
With frauds of millions coming to light every day, it is a matter of concern for Assam if we delve into the causes. From unemployment to wanting a luxurious life to wanting to make some extra money, the list could be endless. But the most important question now is whether these cases will be solved now, and whether the victims will get back their invested money. With fraudsters like Dipankar Barman on the run after defrauding thousands of crores, there is little hope that the money will be returned soon.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://guwahatiplus.com/exclusive-news/trend-of-the-hour-investment-scams
