Two most-wanted persons, arrested from Alipurduar in Bengal in connection with a case of cheating many from the state in the name of providing ATM swipe machine distributorship, were brought here on transit remand on Monday for further questioning.

The two, arrested on Sunday by the Bureau of Investigation Economic Offences (BIEO), Assam, were identified as Sutapa Roy and Sujan Sarkar, the director and chief managing director of a company named Quante Traders.

Additional superintendent Purabi Mazumdar said, “The accused were on the run. They have allegedly cheated hundreds, especially from far-flung areas, to the tune of over Rs 1 crore by the false promise of giving them distributorship of ATM swipe machines.” Roy was apprehended from a residential area and Sarkar was nabbed while trying to flee again in a car.

Describing the modus operandi, a BIEO source said, “The racketeers posed as highly skilled officials and baited the victims with leaflets carrying pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other VVIPs to make the scheme look authentic and convince them. The racketeers claimed that those who purchase the ATM swipe machines and distribute them would earn from each transaction made from the machines.”

According to the complainants, they were assured of a commission of Rs 1 to Rs 5 for each swipe a customer makes through the swipe machines and the money would automatically be transferred to the distributors’ bank accounts.

When those who invested started demanding their money back, the accused fled after closing the office. The office bearers were also left unpaid. The complainants then approached BIEO after they neither received money nor the machines for months.

In October, BIEO had apprehended two main fraudsters in the case, Ranjan Aich and Ranjit Hazarika, in the state.

All of them were booked under several sections of the IPC and the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act and others.