CBI files 2nd chargesheet against Deepankar Barman in multi-crore DB stock consultancy fraud

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 1, 2025

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a second supplementary chargesheet against Deepankar Barman, the alleged mastermind behind the Rs 7,000 crore DB Stock Consultancy scam. The chargesheet was filed before the Special CBI Court in Guwahati, marking another step in the ongoing probe into one of the largest financial frauds in recent history.

Barman, along with his key associates—Monalisha Das, Chabin Barman, Deepali Talukdar, and Mukesh Agrawal (CA)—allegedly ran DB Stock Consultancy as a Ponzi scheme, promising investors lucrative returns. They reportedly provided Rs 100 stamp papers as a form of assurance, but by June 2024, payouts became erratic. Eventually, investors found themselves unable to recover their funds as Barman and his team allegedly vanished with the money.

Investigations suggest that Barman alone collected over Rs 400 crore through five unregulated deposit schemes. Thousands of investors across Assam and five other states suffered heavy financial losses. The case was initially registered at Paltan Bazar Police Station on August 21, 2024, before being transferred to the CBI on October 14, 2024, following a request from the Assam government.

The agency has already filed multiple chargesheets against co-accused individuals, including Monalisha Das, Chabin Barman, Deepali Talukdar, and Mukesh Agrawal, all of whom are now facing trial. Barman has been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes (BUDS) Act, 2019.

This scam is part of a broader financial fraud investigation in Assam, with the CBI consolidating 41 cases into 35 FIRs involving multiple Ponzi schemes. So far, chargesheets have been filed in 20 of these cases, including those linked to TradingFX (Ranjit Kakoty), Percelia Consultancy (Bishal Phukan/Sumi Bora), and AJRS Marketing (Gopal Paul).

As the case progresses, authorities continue to crack down on financial fraudsters who exploit investors with deceptive investment schemes. Further legal proceedings are expected as the investigation unfolds.