HT Correspondent
DHUBRI, Feb 23: The Dhubri district police uncovered a scam on Saturday evening that had been deceiving underprivileged women under the guise of the “Support India Development Program” scheme.
The scam, which had been operating since January in the Halghora area near Dhubri town, was based on a chain business model that exploited unsuspecting victims.
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One accused, identified as Akram Hussain Laskar (31), son of Johirul Hoque Laskar, from Kuleswar, Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, was arrested by a police team led by Sub-Inspector Nilim Talukdar.
Laskar, who claimed to be the branch manager of the office from where the fraudulent activities were conducted, was taken into custody for his involvement in the scam.
Laskar had been running the fraudulent operation from a rented house under Dhubri Police BN College Town Outpost, luring individuals by selling household items in exchange for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 after filling out a membership form. To sustain the scheme, members were encouraged to recruit others, effectively forming a chain business.
During the investigation, Laskar failed to produce any valid documents related to their activities. The police also found that all transactions were made in cash. A raid at the office resulted in the seizure of over Rs 2 lakh in cash.
The scam promised agents a benefit of Rs 100 for each new membership, along with pearl-like objects for making necklaces. Members were assured a payback of Rs 400 upon submitting 40 completed necklaces within a week. This elaborate scheme attracted over 3,000 women in the region, many of whom had joined in hopes of earning a livelihood.
However, the fraudulent nature of the program was eventually exposed, leading to Laskar’s arrest. Meanwhile, another key suspect, Rashidul Rahman, a resident of Ward No-14, Dhubri, is currently absconding. Victims who gathered at Dhubri Sadar Police Station on Sunday identified Rahman as the individual who convinced many women to join the scheme.
Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious of similar fraudulent schemes and to report any suspicious activities to the police to prevent further exploitation. Further investigations are underway to trace the larger network behind this illegal trade.
