Kolkata, March 31 The Cyber Crime Division of the West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested Kolkata industrialist Pawan Kumar Ruia in connection with a Rs 600 crore cyber scam.
Pawan Kumar Ruia, founder-chairman of the Ruia Group, once a tycoon who acquired several government and private companies, was under the scanner of Cyber Crime Division detectives for his alleged involvement in a cyber scam.
Pawan Ruia was arrested on Tuesday evening in front of a luxury hotel in New Town on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.
A senior state police official said the arrest was made in connection with a case filed against Ruia in 2024 by Swapan Kumar Mandal at the Eco Park police station under the Bidhannagar City Police.
It is alleged that money collected through various online frauds across the country was deposited into various bank accounts belonging to Ruia and his family members. During the investigation of the complaint, cyber experts initially found clues to transactions worth ₹315 crore. Later, in November last year, the Cyber Crime Division of the West Bengal Police took suo motu cognizance of the matter and filed an FIR against Ruia.
Police claim that the money collected through cyber fraud was laundered through more than 148 shell companies registered in the names of Ruia and several members of his family. The proceeds from the cyber fraud were deposited into the accounts of all these companies.
At that time, investigating officers also raided and searched Ruia’s residence. Later, police claimed that the total fraud amount involved in this case was approximately ₹600 crore.
It has been learned that the bank accounts into which the cyber fraud proceeds were deposited were allegedly operated from the ‘Ruia Centre’ located at 46 Syed Amir Ali Avenue, Kolkata-17.
Pawan Ruia was arrested by the police in 2016 in connection with the theft of railway equipment from the Jessop factory; this factory was once owned by the Ruia Group. After the Jessop and Dunlop factories owned by him were closed, the state government attempted to take them over.
