West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK :   June 11, 2025 —The turn in the ongoing investigation into the Sweta Khan case, the Howrah Police on Tuesday detained Aryan Khan and his sister Zoya Khan, the children of the accused Sweta Khan, from the Panihati area. The siblings were taken in for questioning based on fresh leads in the unfolding case that has gripped the region with intrigue and shock.

The case centers around Sweta Khan, a mid-level government official who is currently under investigation for charges including fraud, intimidation, and suspected involvement in an illicit property scam that spans several districts of West Bengal. The investigation, led by the Howrah Police’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU), has recently picked up pace after financial discrepancies and multiple false documents linked to Sweta’s name surfaced.

On Tuesday morning, Aryan and Zoya Khan were located by police in Panihati, North 24 Parganas, where they had been staying reportedly under assumed names. Authorities acted swiftly to detain them for questioning after phone call records and digital trail evidence hinted at their possible role in attempting to obstruct the investigation.

According to sources within the police department, both Aryan and Zoya are being interrogated to determine whether they were aware of or assisted their mother in manipulating documents, hiding assets, or evading law enforcement. Though no formal arrest has been made yet, officials confirmed that the two are being held under preventive detention laws while a case is being built based on digital and testimonial evidence.

Senior Police Officer Anirban Dutta, who is overseeing the investigation, addressed the media briefly outside the Howrah Police Headquarters. “The detention of Aryan Khan and Zoya Khan is part of a broader inquiry. At this stage, we are verifying the extent of their knowledge or involvement in the criminal activities attributed to Sweta Khan. We are working with forensic and cybercrime units to extract further evidence.”

The arrest of Sweta Khan last month on charges of document forgery and illegal acquisition of property through dubious means sent shockwaves through the administrative community. Sweta, who had been serving in the municipal department in South Howrah, is alleged to have created a network of shell entities to transfer funds and secure land deeds fraudulently.

The public interest in the case has surged due to the mysterious disappearance of several key documents, reports of witness intimidation, and the sudden lifestyle shift in the Khan family over the past year. The opulent properties in Howrah and North Kolkata attributed to Sweta’s name—despite her modest government salary—raised suspicions that eventually led to the formal probe.

Aryan Khan, in particular, came under scrutiny after a number of financial transactions were discovered linking his personal account to a business firm flagged during the primary investigation. Zoya Khan, meanwhile, is being questioned about her alleged role in managing real estate documents and coordinating between her mother and associates during the period under suspicion.

The Howrah Police have assured the public of transparency and diligence. “No one is above the law,” Officer Dutta said, “and every individual connected to this case will be questioned and held accountable, if found complicit.”

As more details emerge from the ongoing interrogation, it remains to be seen whether Aryan and Zoya will be formally charged or released. For now, their detention adds a new layer of complexity to a case already fraught with allegations of corruption, cover-ups, and conspiracy.