Delhi Police Uncover Major Investment and Banking Fraud Syndicates
In a significant crackdown on financial crimes, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has apprehended seven individuals across two separate cases involving sophisticated investment and banking frauds. The operations highlight the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial scams targeting professionals and employees in the national capital region.
LLB Graduate Among Trio Held in Rs 31 Lakh IPO Investment Scam
The first case involves a meticulously planned investment fraud amounting to Rs 31 lakh, which specifically targeted an employee of a multinational technology firm. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam, the accused allegedly impersonated representatives of a prominent investment firm. They enticed victims with promises of exceptionally high returns on Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) through deceptively designed online portals that appeared legitimate.
The modus operandi was particularly insidious, as the syndicate actively recruited financially vulnerable individuals to open mule bank accounts. These accounts were then used to layer and launder the illicit proceeds, making the money trail difficult to trace for law enforcement agencies.
Technical surveillance and digital forensics played a crucial role in the investigation. The trail led police officers to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, where one of the accused was arrested. The other two suspects were subsequently bound down by the court, restricting their movement as the probe continues.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sarvjeet (35), an LLB graduate; Pawan (33); and Puneet (32). Police allege that Sarvjeet, leveraging his legal education, provided a mule bank account registered under the name of a charitable organization. This account was handed over to co-accused Pawan and Puneet, who are suspected of supplying such accounts to a network of cyber fraudsters operating across the region.
Further investigation revealed that Puneet also allegedly received a complete bank account kit from Sarvjeet and another previously arrested individual named Deepak Saini. The accused have been linked to multiple complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), indicating a pattern of similar fraudulent activities.
Four Arrested in Shahdara for Fake Bank Agent Scam
In a parallel and unrelated investigation, the Shahdara district police arrested four men for allegedly cheating a chartered accountant residing in Krishna Nagar, Shahdara. The fraudsters posed as agents of a private bank, initiating contact with the victim through social media platforms.
The scam involved a clever technical deception. The accused sent the victim a malicious APK (Android Package Kit) file disguised as a legitimate banking application. Once installed, this file compromised the victim's device, leading to an unauthorized debit of Rs 75,694 from her credit card.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam stated that the stolen funds were swiftly used to purchase high-value electronic items online. These items were delivered to an address in Charmwood Village, Faridabad, in an attempt to obscure the perpetrators' identities.
Through diligent investigative work, the police traced the accused to Surajkund in Faridabad. This led to the initial arrests of Ashish Kumar Ojha (23) and Vivek Kumar (37). The net widened as the investigation progressed, resulting in the arrest of Abhishek Kumar Jha (24) from Bihar. The final accused, Ikrar (23), was apprehended from Pul Pehlad Pur in South Delhi, effectively dismantling this particular fraud ring.
These coordinated arrests underscore the Delhi Police's intensified focus on combating cyber financial crimes. The cases serve as a stark reminder for citizens to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited investment offers and communications from unverified bank representatives, especially those involving downloadable files or requests for sensitive financial information.
