Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 26: In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police on Monday arrested three cyber fraudsters for allegedly duping a resident of Rs 25 lac by putting him under a fake ‘digital arrest’.

The accused Rahul Verma, Shantanu Richoriya (26), and Arjun Singh (25) were apprehended from a hotel in the Paharganj area where they were operating from, police said.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary, the victim, Mahender Jain, filed a complaint after being conned by a man posing as a Nashik Crime Branch officer. Jain was told during a video call on March 21 that his Aadhaar details were linked to fake bank accounts involved in money laundering connected to a reputed airline.

“The caller even showed Jain a fake bank card and coerced him into transferring his entire savings. He was forced to sell his wife's jewellery and make further payments through RTGS and online gateways,” the DCP added.

Police revealed that the accused used a network of 'mule' accounts to funnel the stolen money. These mule account holders were physically brought in by the gang to complete transactions.

During interrogation, Rahul Verma confessed to first providing his bank account to the syndicate before becoming actively involved. The trio reportedly coordinated with international handlers via social media, used fake identities, and operated secret groups using fake numbers.

Police recovered three mobile phones, four SIM cards, four bank passbooks, three cheque books, and documents linked to seven different banks. Seven to eight mule accounts have been identified so far.

The case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and efforts are underway to trace other syndicate members.

Police explained that “digital arrest” scams involve fraudsters impersonating officials from law enforcement agencies like the CBI or customs, threatening victims with arrest under false pretexts such as international parcels or forged bank accounts.