Man posed as I-PAC worker, promised poll ticket
In a suspected case of election-related fraud, Kolkata Police have arrested a man for allegedly posing as a member of poll-strategy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and cheating a political leader from Purulia of nearly ₹2.7 lakh. The money was allegedly taken on the promise of securing a party ticket for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Election 2026.
Police identified the arrested man as Ratnadeep Mahato. Investigators suspect the involvement of a larger racket operating in the name of I-PAC to dupe aspiring candidates ahead of the crucial state polls.
Promise of assembly ticket for ₹40 lakh
According to police sources, Mahato came in contact with a local political leader from Purulia district. Introducing himself as an I-PAC employee, he allegedly claimed that his organisation had the ability to influence candidate selection for the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Mahato reportedly told the Purulia-based leader that he could arrange a ticket from a constituency in the district, provided he paid ₹40 lakh. Convinced by the promise of a nomination, the leader allegedly agreed and initially paid ₹2.7 lakh as the first instalment.
However, Mahato allegedly continued to demand more money, which gradually raised the victim’s suspicion.
Victim verifies claim, files police complaint
Police said that after the repeated demands for money, the political leader consulted a few acquaintances and tried to verify Mahato’s claims. During this process, he allegedly came to know that Mahato had been using a fake identity and had no official links with I-PAC.
The leader then travelled to Kolkata and directly contacted the poll-strategy organisation. After confirming that Mahato was not associated with I-PAC in any capacity, he realised he had been cheated.
Subsequently, he lodged a formal complaint at Shakespeare Sarani Police Station in Kolkata, detailing how he had been misled and the amount of money he had already paid.
Arrest in Purulia, search for others on
Based on the complaint, police initiated a probe and tracked Mahato’s movements. A team later went to Purulia and conducted raids at multiple locations. During the operation, Mahato was arrested and taken into custody.
Investigators are now interrogating him to identify possible associates and to determine whether more people were defrauded using a similar modus operandi. Police believe that a larger network may be functioning behind the scenes, targeting aspiring candidates in the run-up to the assembly polls.
“Our team is questioning the accused to trace others involved. We are also checking whether similar complaints have been reported elsewhere,” a police source said.
Rising concerns over election-time frauds
With the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 drawing closer, law enforcement agencies are on alert against scams that exploit the ambitions of political hopefuls. Cases involving promises of party tickets, influence in candidate selection, and misuse of the names of political consultants or senior leaders have been reported in the past as well.
Police have urged political workers and aspiring candidates to remain cautious and verify any such claims directly with political parties or officially recognised organisations before making any financial transactions.
The investigation in the Purulia fraud case is underway, and more arrests have not been ruled out.
