Delhi Police Cracks Down on Interstate Cyber Fraud Network
Delhi Police has successfully dismantled an interstate cyber fraud racket, arresting five individuals from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The operation followed a detailed investigation into a major financial scam that targeted a senior citizen in the national capital.
Senior Citizen Falls Victim to Sophisticated Scam
A 78-year-old resident of Delhi lost more than Rs 2.19 crore to cyber criminals who employed elaborate deception tactics. The fraudsters posed as law enforcement officials, claiming the victim faced arrest warrants in a money laundering case.
According to police reports, the complainant received a call in late November from someone identifying as Sumit Mishra from Lucknow Police Headquarters. The caller informed the elderly man about two arrest warrants issued against him. The scammers then placed him under what they called digital arrest.
Another individual, who called himself Prem Kumar Gautam, later contacted the victim. This person claimed the senior citizen's Aadhaar card had been misused and convinced him to share detailed information about his financial assets.
Digital Surveillance and Financial Extortion
The accused maintained constant pressure on their target through psychological manipulation. They told the Delhi resident he would remain under round-the-clock WhatsApp video surveillance and instructed him not to leave his home or contact anyone.
During video calls, the fraudsters showed what appeared to be a CBI office to lend credibility to their claims. Between November 26 and January 4, they coerced the victim into transferring Rs 2,19,18,000 to various bank accounts.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinit Kumar from the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit provided these details about the case. Police registered an e-FIR on December 5 after receiving the formal complaint.
Police Investigation Uncovers Racket Operations
The IFSO unit launched a comprehensive investigation, analyzing bank records, digital trails, and technical data. Their examination revealed a network of accounts used to layer and conceal the stolen funds.
Investigators identified Dipesh Patidar, a 30-year-old from Barwani in Madhya Pradesh, as the holder of a bank account that received Rs 1 crore from the victim. Police arrested him first, followed by another Barwani resident, 28-year-old Anshul Rathod.
Further raids across multiple cities led to three additional arrests. Police apprehended Shyam Babu Gupta (36), Raghvendra Verma (25), and Devesh Singh (25) from a hotel in Lucknow. The operation spanned Jabalpur, Indore, Prayagraj, and Jhansi during the investigation phase.
Modus Operandi and Evidence Recovery
The cyber criminals employed a specific method to defraud their targets. They would force victims to transfer money into accounts they described as RBI-mandated accounts for verification purposes. The fraudsters promised refunds to complete the deception.
Police discovered that the accused arranged mule bank accounts to layer the stolen money through multiple transactions. This technique helped obscure the money trail and complicate recovery efforts.
During searches, authorities recovered substantial evidence from the arrested individuals. The seized items included rubber stamps from various companies, cheque books, seven mobile phones, twenty debit cards, and copies of Aadhaar cards.
Delhi Police continues its investigation into the racket's full operations. Officers are working to identify any additional victims and trace all financial transactions connected to the fraud network.
