Fugitive cyber fraudster’s property worth crores seized under court order in Assam

A piece of land in a prime location, owned by a suspect in a significant cybercrime case, was seized by the Morigaon district administration in Assam on Thursday.

The action follows a court order for the confiscation of the land, which spans approximately 1.5 kathas and is situated in Morigaon town. Officials state that the land was purchased with funds derived from cyber frauds conducted by the suspect, Shoriful Islam.

Islam, a resident of Bowalguri village, allegedly orchestrated a scam involving fake PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, and credit cards to fraudulently acquire loans from a major finance company. "The scam was carried out by using fake PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, and credit cards to obtain loans from the company," an official reported. The proceeds from this fraudulent activity were subsequently deposited into a bank account held by Islam's wife in Morigaon.

The Morigaon Judicial Magistrate First Class Court issued an order for the immediate confiscation of the land after the police registered a case against Islam and conducted an in-depth investigation. The district administration and local police jointly executed the land seizure. Islam, however, remains at large, according to police reports.

Also Read: How one Assam man duped India’s financial system using 20 identities, 20 PANs, and dozens of bank accounts

District Commissioner Debashish Sharma and Superintendent of Police Hemanta Kumar Das were among the officials present during the land seizure operation. The police have been pursuing multiple cases against Islam since 2021, viewing the confiscation of his assets as a critical move in the fight against cybercrime in the region. "Since 2021, the police have registered multiple cases against Islam and the seizure of his assets is a significant step in curbing cybercrime in the region," an official noted.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made strong statements regarding the case, emphasising the reach of the law. "The hands of the law are long and strong," he asserted, highlighting the determination to apprehend those involved in such fraudulent activities. Sarma further cautioned, "No matter how smart you think you are, @assampolice will catch and punish you," reiterating the government's commitment to tackling cybercrime.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the scale of the fraud and the subsequent law enforcement response. Shoriful Islam is accused of defrauding a finance company of over Rs 1 crore using sophisticated cyber methods, and his current status as a fugitive adds urgency to the ongoing investigation. Authorities continue to pursue leads in an effort to bring Islam to justice.