Siliguri, 30th July: In a recent development, Councilors across various wards in Siliguri have reported receiving fraudulent messages demanding money, falsely using the photo of Mayor Gautam Deb. Complaints have been filed with both the cybercrime unit and the police.
According to reports, fraudsters are sending messages from a WhatsApp number to councilors from Congress, CPI(M), BJP, and TMC. After receiving a reply, the scammers proceed to ask for money under various pretexts.
The issue was brought to attention during a board meeting on Tuesday, with BJP Councilor Shalini Dalmia providing details. Multiple councilors reported the same fraudulent activity.
Mayor Gautam Deb confirmed the misuse of his photo for extortion attempts. Upon learning of the situation, he ensured that complaints were filed with the police and cybercrime authorities. The incident is currently under investigation.