Overview

• Shubhajit and Riya Ballav were arrested on July 29 in a Darbhanga hotel by a Cooch Behar special investigation team and placed in transit remand.
• Authorities have filed over 900 FIRs against the duo, documenting 877 cases in 2024 and 68 in 2025 that netted approximately ₹48.15 lakh.
• The couple posed as BSF officers, company commanders and inspectors in calls to customer service points near border outposts to coerce fund transfers with promises of cash returns.
• Their network spanned nine states and multiple union territories with the highest case counts in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Maharashtra.
• Investigators have seized several mobile phones and will conduct custodial interrogation to identify collaborators and recover defrauded money.