Calcutta HC Disposes Writ Petition Directing Detective Department to Expedite Probe into ₹13 Crore Duping Fraud Case [Read Order]

The Calcutta High Court has instructed the Detective Department to make an endeavour to conclude the investigation at an early date and submit a report before the jurisdictional Magistrate in a matter of suspected duping of Rs 13 crores.

The ruling was given by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, a Single Judge Bench, on a writ petition brought by Kkalpana Industries (India) Limited. The petitioner corporation has moved the Court for direction for submission of final report or in alternative for transfer of investigation to a higher authority since the investigation had not come to its logical conclusion with the FIR having been lodged in April, 2023.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Mr. Indraneel Roy said that a criminal complaint was filed for duping to the tune of Rs 13 crore and accordingly a FIR was made at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station under Sections 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

The State respondents have filed a communication, dated 22.06.2026 issued by the Sub-Inspector of the Special Cell (GS), Detective Department, and Mr. Suryaneel Das, Additional Government Pleader, has filed a reply to the same communication.

The notification said that the inquiry was then forwarded from the local police station to the Detective Department for an appropriate conclusion. The accused, Managing Director of CMI Energy India Private Limited, came before the agency thrice in the latter half of 2023. Notices under Section 41A Cr.P.C. were served on the accused, it was discovered.

During interrogation the accused stated that ₹12.42 crores were due to the petitioner company and checks equivalent to ₹6.71 crores were issued but dishonoured. To support the default, the accused filed a list of debtors, saying that several firms were indebted to his company.

For this purpose, the investigative agency has served notices under Section 91 and Section 160 Cr.P.C. to over sixty-one entities on the debtors list using email and speed post. The State’s letter of communication stated that a number of companies had responded to say there was no outstanding sum payable to the accused’s company. The Court further observed that there is another business dispute between the petitioner and the accused’s company proceeding before the National Company LawTribunal (NCLT).

"Perusal of the factual matrix unfolded by the State would show that there are some issues which the investigating agency needs to take into consideration so as to bring the probe to its logical end," the High Court observed. However, the Court, taking into consideration the fact that the criminal prosecution was launched as far back as April 2023, deemed it necessary to direct the responsible investigating agency to expedite the process.

The Court thus asked the agency to complete the inquiry at an early date and submit the report before the jurisdictional Magistrate and disposed of the writ petition.

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