New Delhi: 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 accused rented bank accounts for commission. They also busted a Rs 1 lakh fake furniture delivery fraud and a Rs 24.80 lakh crypto scam, seizing devices, freezing Rs 1.55 crore, and
continuing probes.