Kolkata: An MTech student of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, alleged he was cheated of Rs 31.6 lakh in an investment fraud after being lured through WhatsApp into a fake stock trading platform.The complainant, a Rajarhat resident, approached Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station on Friday, stating the fraud occurred between Nov 2025 and Jan 2026. Police said, the victim transferred Rs 25.3 lakh from one account and Rs 6.3 lakh from another account after being promised high, risk-free returns through stock market investments.
Cops said, he was first contacted on WhatsApp by a woman called Kavya Godbole, who claimed to be associated with a SEBI-registered stock market expert. The complaint stated that after showing initial gains, the platform informed him that IPO shares worth nearly Rs 2 crore were allotted to him and demanded additional payment or a penalty. When he refused, his withdrawal facility was allegedly blocked.
