Fake loan recovery gang busted in Delhi; 4 held

Delhi Police has busted a gang of fake loan recovery agents running a high-tech roadside extortion racket in east Delhi and arrested four people, an officer said.

The accused allegedly used a mobile application to identify vehicles with pending EMIs and targeted their owners on busy roads by posing as bank recovery agents, he said.

“The case came to light after a complaint was lodged by one Keshav Kumar, who reported that he was intercepted near ITO on Vikas Marg on March 26. Occupants of a white car stopped him, forcibly took him along, assaulted and threatened him before extorting Rs 18,000 through an online transfer,” the officer said.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at Shakarpur police station on March 27, and an investigation was taken up. A police team was formed, which relied on technical surveillance and local intelligence inputs, he said.

A tip-off from an informer pointed to the involvement of suspects from Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat, the officer said.

Technical analysis of mobile data and location tracking established the suspects’ presence at the crime scene and helped identify their movements. Subsequently, raids were conducted at multiple locations, leading to the arrest of Prince, 22, Aakash alias Akku, 25, Shivam, 23, and Teetu alias Tittu, 22, he said.

“During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to their involvement in the present case and disclosed that they had been operating as fake recovery agents using a mobile application to identify potential targets,” the officer said.

Police said the gang would zero in on vehicle owners with pending loan instalments, intercept them on roads using a car without a number plate, and intimidate them by impersonating bank officials.

They would threaten, assault and wrongfully confine victims before forcing them to transfer money through QR codes or other online payment methods.

The accused would release the victims after extorting money. Police have recovered five mobile phones used in the crime and the white car. Efforts are underway to identify other victims and trace an associate who allegedly facilitated financial transactions for the gang, police said.