Delhi Police busts cyber fraud syndicates; 55 held

The Delhi Police has dismantled multiple inter-state cyber fraud syndicates, arresting 55 people in a month-long operation and recovering Rs 4.84 crore of the stolen amount while freezing Rs 1.55 crore, an official said on Wednesday.

Police said financial trail analysis and coordinated field operations across several states led to the breakthrough.

“During the period, around Rs 39 lakh was reverted to victims through court orders, providing partial relief to those cheated in various online frauds using digital arrest method to fake investment and trading schemes,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Darade Sharad Bhaskar said in a statement.

The officer said that raids were conducted in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, arresting 55 people. With these arrests, police have worked out 20 cyber cases during January and disposed of 13 after investigation.

Police said that the entire investigation was launched after a retired central government employee from Janakpuri was cheated of Rs 15 lakh through digital arrest.

“Cyber crooks impersonated as law enforcement and revenue officials and threatened him with arrest. Investigating the entire matter, police arrested three accused from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. The team found that illegal SIM cards were issued in bulk, later converted into e-SIMs, and the QR codes were shared with foreign-based operators in exchange for commission. These e-SIMs were allegedly used to make calls to victims,” DCP Bhaskar said.

Another case involved an online investment fraud in which a complainant was cheated of Rs 14.35 lakh through social media groups promising unrealistic returns.

Police said the accused used mule bank accounts to route the stolen money. Three accused were arrested from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Recoveries included 10 mobile phones, ATM cards, cheque books, SIM cards, Aadhaar cards and Rs 1.95 lakh in cash.

Police said agents were deployed to procure bank accounts, after which account holders were lodged in hotels and their accounts were operated on a commission basis.

In a separate online trading scam, victims were cheated of Rs 25 lakh through bogus trading platforms promising high profits. Two accused were arrested from Buldhana in Maharashtra.

Police said the accused allowed their bank accounts to be used for cyber fraud transactions in return for a commission. Two mobile phones were seized in the case.

The cyber unit also cracked an online furniture delivery fraud in which a complainant was cheated of Rs 1 lakh after making advance payments on a fake platform. Four accused were arrested from Yamuna Nagar in Haryana.

Another case involved an investment fraud worth Rs 24.80 lakh linked to cryptocurrency-based money laundering using USDT. Police said victims were lured with fake investment schemes, and the funds were rotated through multiple digital wallets and bank accounts to evade detection. Three accused were arrested from Ratlam and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

“Overall recoveries across all cases included over 100 mobile phones, more than 400 SIM cards, around 50 ATM and debit cards, over 15 cheque books and cheques, approximately Rs 4 lakh in cash and one vehicle. With the arrest of all the accused, police teams also froze 1.55 crore in different banks,” the officer added.

Police said efforts were continuing to identify additional links, trace remaining proceeds of crime and provide further relief to victims. Further investigation into the matter is underway.