Fake loan app fraud: Two Rapido riders among six apprehended by Delhi Police

New Delhi: The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested two Rapido drivers for their alleged involvement in a cyber fraud syndicate running fake loan application scams under Operation Cyhawk 4.0.

The accused, identified as Karan Kumar (24) and Shami Ahmad (27), both residents of Kapashera, were apprehended during the ongoing probe. With these arrests, the total number of accused held in the case has risen to six. Police recovered two mobile phones containing incriminating WhatsApp chats.

The action followed an investigation into an FIR registered under Section 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to online financial fraud through fake loan applications. Four accused had been arrested earlier.

According to police, the probe began with the analysis of mule bank accounts used to siphon off defrauded money. One such account in Bank of Baroda, registered in the name of a Kapashera resident, was found linked to multiple complaints of fake loan app fraud.

Further technical analysis led investigators to another suspicious account in the Bank of India belonging to Karan Kumar, which was also linked to several complaints. A team led by Inspector Pravesh Kaushik traced Kumar in Kapashera using technical surveillance and local inputs.

During interrogation, Kumar allegedly disclosed that he had shared his bank account details on commission with Shami Ahmad, who passed them on to another associate for use in cyber fraud.

Police said the syndicate lured victims with small, unsecured loans through fake apps. Once installed, these apps accessed users’ data, which was later used to threaten victims with morphed images and extort money.

Investigators also found links to other syndicate members through virtual numbers connected to Pakistan and Bangladesh. The defrauded money was routed through mule accounts via UPI and converted into cryptocurrency to conceal the trail.