The Cyber Crime Wing of Bengal Police carried out a search and seizure operation at an office of industrialist Pawan Ruia near Park Circus for the second time on Wednesday in connection with two cybercrime cases.

Apart from the investigation related to an alleged fraud of ₹315 crore in which Ruia and his family members have been named in the FIR, a second police team carried out a search-and-seizure at the same office in connection with another cybercrime to the tune of ₹93 lakh.

The first search was carried out on November 6.

Rahul Verma, a co-accused in the alleged ₹315 crore fraud, was arrested on November 1 in connection with the ₹93 lakh cyber fraud, in which a Bidhannagar resident had been duped after he was lured into an investment racket.

The complainant had been added to a WhatsApp group and lured into making large investments with false promises of high returns.

Verma was arrested at Delhi airport while allegedly trying to flee to London via Dubai.

Based on Verma’s statement, the police have uncovered new leads that have led them back to the Ruia office.

The Ruia Centre, located at 46 Syed Amir Ali Avenue, Park Circus, was searched on Wednesday. “Two teams were involved in the searches and seizures at the Ruia office today (Wednesday). One was for the ₹315 crore fraud and the other for ₹93 lakh fraud in which the Ruias are not formally named,” said an officer.

Sources said the investigators are busy compiling and analysing data before making the next move.

To date, the police have identified 1,379 cases of cybercrime from across the country that are allegedly directly or indirectly related to Pawan Ruia, his family members, and several shell companies, many of them registered at non-existent addresses.

The police stated that the money swindled from these accounts had been transferred across a web of 16 companies, which had 11 common directors.

Upon reviewing the profiles of these 11 directors, the police said that they identified 186 shell companies allegedly used for money laundering.

Of the 186 companies, 147 are registered under the ROS, Calcutta. Out of these, 73 are registered at the same address on Ezra Street, which the police said did not exist.

At least 23 cases were reported in which the proceeds of crime had allegedly landed directly into the accounts of Pawan Ruia and his family, the police said.