The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has cracked a sophisticated interstate cyber fraud racket that employed terrifying tactics like 'digital arrest' and fake investment applications to dupe victims of lakhs of rupees. The breakthrough came with the arrest of two key accused on December 27, 2025, unravelling a network that used a maze of bank accounts across multiple states.
The 'Digital Arrest' of an NRI Woman
In a chilling case, an Indian-origin woman living in the United States became a target while visiting Delhi in October 2025. Around 3 am on October 6, she received a WhatsApp video call from individuals impersonating police officers. This followed an initial call from a fraudster posing as an official from the San Francisco embassy, who falsely claimed she needed a No Objection Certificate (NOC) due to a case against her in India.
The video callers, wearing what appeared to be police uniforms, threatened the victim and placed her under what they termed a 'virtual or digital arrest'. Under sustained threat, the terrified woman transferred Rs 30 lakh on October 9 into a designated bank account.
Unravelling the Money Trail and First Arrest
Investigations traced the defrauded money to an account held in the name of a partnership firm, M/s Varnav Infotech, based in SAS Nagar, Punjab. The firm's partners were identified as Varun from Mohali and Navjot Chaudhary from Balachaur.
The money was quickly moved through multiple other accounts and withdrawn via cheques in different states, a technique aimed at obscuring the trail. On December 27, raids in Mohali and Chandigarh led to the arrest of Varun, an authorised signatory of this first-layer account.
Police seized substantial evidence from him, including 38 ATM cards, 51 cheque books, five passbooks, four mobile phones, a laptop, a Mahindra Scorpio car, and Rs 2.45 lakh in cash. During interrogation, Varun revealed he previously ran a call centre in Mohali. After it shut down due to losses, he was approached by an accused. He opened a current account in his firm's name and handed over its debit card, cheque book, and SIM card for a commission of Rs 5 lakh from the Rs 30 lakh fraud, stated DCP (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam.
The Fake Investment App Scam
In a parallel case that exposed another arm of the same racket, a resident of Bank Enclave in New Delhi was duped of Rs 31.45 lakh. The victim was lured into a WhatsApp investment group and persuaded to download an application named 'Cventura', which promised high returns.
After transferring money into six different bank accounts, the victim found the WhatsApp group dissolved and the app rendered non-functional. This money was also routed through a series of mule accounts, the DCP explained.
Following technical surveillance, police conducted raids in Ludhiana, Punjab, arresting two first-layer account holders. The probe further led to Gujarat, where Arjun Singh (39), a resident of Surendranagar, was apprehended. Singh operated a second-layer mule account, withdrew the fraudulently deposited funds, and received a commission of Rs 2 lakh.
Conclusion and Ongoing Investigation
The Inter State Cell of the Delhi Police has confirmed that these are not isolated incidents but part of a highly organised interstate cyber fraud network. This syndicate utilised a combination of psychological intimidation through digital arrest and the allure of fake high-return investments to trap victims.
The arrests have shed light on the critical role of 'mule' bank accounts in laundering stolen money across state lines. An investigation is currently underway to identify and apprehend other members of this extensive racket, highlighting the evolving and severe threat posed by such organised cybercrime.
