Chapter 1:
Today, on the 25th of February, stepping outside, one can feel the scorching heat of the midday sun. Due to global warming, enjoying the winter season in Kolkata has become increasingly difficult. The chilly days seem to have become shorter.
I was eagerly awaiting Soumendu's response. He's someone who knows the mountains like the back of his hand. I wanted to ask him about the experience of visiting the mountains during this time. The cold weather seems to have bid farewell to the city, leaving behind an uncomfortable warmth.
⦁ “Would it be enjoyable to venture into the mountains now? When the cold vanishes, the mountains usually become a haven. Should I plan a trip?”
Soumendu's words echoed in my mind….
⦁ “The mountains have a charm of their own when the city heat becomes unbearable. The crisp air, the serene beauty, and the tranquillity envelops its admirers, making the journey truly worthwhile.”
It seemed like an invitation, a beckoning call to escape the stifling warmth of the city and seek solace in the mountains. The idea of exploring the untamed beauty and finding solace amidst nature's embrace ignited a spark of excitement within me.
With thoughts of breathtaking vistas and the promise of a cool breeze, the mountains beckoned. It was time to leave behind the heat of the city and embrace the refreshing chill of the mountains.
⦁ “When we decide to travel, it’s like an immediate call. I’ll have some time in the next ten days. Darjeeling, perhaps? I'm bringing along the trusty laptop; I'll buy the tickets soon”.
Travelling appeals to Soumendu too. Darjeeling holds a special place for us, right near Kolkata. Soumendu turned towards me, laptop in hand, and said...
⦁ “We've got a flight for the 27th, just a day in between. Sort out the bag and gather everything you need to buy tonight.”
⦁ “Oh wait, our hotel booking is still pending.”
⦁ “This time, we won't stay in a hotel; we're going to someone's place. I had this tempting offer, you see. So, when you mentioned the mountains, I immediately pitched the idea of heading to Darjeeling together.”
⦁ “Let me guess, you're talking about Arghya's place? I saw his post on social media; he's got the job at Darjeeling St. Joseph's College. He's staying at his uncle's place there.”
⦁ “Right. But technically, that house is his inheritance. Before leaving, Arghya asked me to ensure that if we go to Darjeeling this time, we should stay right there.”
The spontaneity of their decision to head to Darjeeling and stay at their friend's inherited home added an unexpected thrill to their upcoming journey.
In the afternoon, after having our lunch, I decided to inform Arghya about our plan to visit Darjeeling. Let's search for his number in the phonebook and give him a call. Arghya answered promptly and said...
⦁ “Yes, I've heard about your visit. Soumendu messaged me in the morning. I've already given him the guidelines on how to get here. I've messaged you the same. If there's any inconvenience, just give me a call.”
Chapter 2:
We too set off for Bagdogra from Kolkata on the 13th. After landing, I tried calling Arghya several times. But it seemed impossible to reach him through either of our phones. Despite having the address in hand, we encountered no trouble finding the destination. As we approached Bangalow Bari, I noticed Arghya searching for a network, swiping his mobile frantically.
Soumendu stepped forward and asked….
⦁ “Why can't we reach you on the phone? Is there a severe network issue here?”
⦁ “Oh no, the network was quite good actually, I even received a call from the bank this morning. Then suddenly….leave it, you guys come inside….”
We decided to share a room. Arghya had arranged a sparkling room for us. After freshening up, we settled outside. Arghya joined us with three cups of coffee and some cookies. Setting the cups down, he engrossed himself in his mobile once again. His phone was still without a network, yet both our phones had ample signal.
Following our plan, we finished the coffee and decided to take a stroll towards the mall road. Arghya was to accompany us as he needed to withdraw some money from the ATM. As we walked towards the mall road together, we noticed Arghya halting near an ATM. He repeatedly attempted to withdraw cash but encountered a problem. Suspecting that something was amiss, Soumendu intervened, checking the ATM himself. Soumendu suggested….
⦁ “Arghya, your balance is showing low. Why are you swiping the same card repeatedly? Let's check a mini statement..”
⦁ “No, no, that's impossible. There was almost 2.5 lakh in my account.”
Arghya exclaimed in disbelief….
Arghya was indeed right. The money was there, but it had been transferred to someone else's account. The mini statement showed it all. Arghya had mentioned receiving a call from the bank in the morning. I inquired further about the entire conversation.
Outside, after Arghya's recounting, he shared,
⦁ “I got a call from the bank this morning. They said my debit card had become outdated, so the bank is issuing new debit cards to all customers, blocking the old ones. Without asking, they blocked mine, and I was slightly annoyed. Then the bank attendant mentioned that my card was a magnetic strip card, and now the bank issues chip-based cards for the safety of the funds. To get the new card, it will take seven days. They advised me to go to the bank. I thought, as you guys are coming, and it would be troublesome if the card remained blocked during any transactions. They informed me that to authorize the activation of the card, I would need to reply to an SMS that I would receive. The message did come, and I replied, but I don't know what happened after that. And now, there's no network on my mobile."
⦁ “I think I've figured out what might have happened. Let's go, Soumendu, take Arghya to the bank ….”
With that, we resumed our stroll. Upon reaching the bank, we discovered that 2.5 lakhs had been transferred from Arghya's account to someone in Singapore. Interestingly, this transaction couldn't have been done without the necessary processes and TPIN (Transaction Personal Identification Number). Consequently, the bank couldn't rectify the situation.
I took Arghya's phone from his hand and checked his SMS and call logs. Soumendu approached, saying...
⦁ “I've figured it out. Arghya fell prey to a SIM swap...”
⦁ “Exactly. It's a common crime these days.”
We realized Arghya's SIM card had been swapped, leading to this unauthorized transaction.
The Final Chapter :
Once, in the quaint town of Darjeeling, a serene abode nestled among the Himalayas, a peculiar incident unfolded, leaving the locals and the police baffled.
It all commenced when Arghya, a gentle soul known for his amiable disposition, found himself entangled in a web of deception. One day, his phone abruptly lost network connectivity, an unforeseen predicament that led him to seek assistance from the authorities.
Inspector Indradeb Bagchi, the sagacious custodian of law in that serene town, was apprised of the situation. As Arghya divulged the mysterious ordeal, it became evident that someone had exploited his SIM card, masquerading as him to orchestrate a duplicitous ploy.
The plot thickened when it was revealed that the malevolent actor had deployed a spurious server to manipulate Arghya's SIM card to execute fraudulent bank transactions. The clues were sparse, merely comprising details of a Singaporean bank and a misleading phone number. The trail led to a foreign bank, making the investigation labyrinthine.
Inspector Bagchi, undeterred by the complexity, engaged his team in a meticulous pursuit. He initiated correspondence with the spurious server's domain, soliciting its IP address to unmask the perpetrator behind the deceptive charade.
Days passed, and tensions simmered, until one morning, an email arrived—disclosing the elusive IP address. A beacon of hope appeared in the midst of a perplexing puzzle. The Inspector summoned Arghya, urging his presence at the station.
With a team meticulously analyzing the IP address, a breakthrough emerged. It was traced to an Internet Service Provider, unveiling the ISP's culpability in the orchestrated deceit.
A visit ensued to the physical address linked to the IP, leading the officers to the residence of Advocate Sushil Barman. Astounded by the unexpected intrusion, the distinguished lawyer inquired about the commotion.
Inspector Bagchi, with utmost humility, addressed the lawyer, probing,
⦁ “Could anyone else have accessed your Wi-Fi network?”
The astute lawyer, visibly irked, retorted,
⦁ “I'm an esteemed advocate. No one else resides here except me.”
Undeterred, Bagchi probed further..
⦁ “Reflect on it once more. Is there anyone who might have had access to your network recently?”
A sudden realization dawned upon the lawyer, as he recounted his recent absence from home. He had hired a caretaker, who had been entrusted with the house's Wi-Fi access during his trip to Delhi.
The revelation intensified the investigation, leading the officers to the bus stand where the caretaker was apprehended. Upon thorough inspection, incriminating evidence including cash, unauthorized SIM cards, and a phone were unearthed. The culprit, apprehended and confessing, admitted to hacking Arghya's Wi-Fi and executing the fraudulent transactions.
Justice prevailed, tranquillity returned to Darjeeling, and Arghya, relieved of the ordeal, savored the idyllic charm of his hometown once more.