Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 9: The Cyber Police Station of Delhi Police’s Shahdara district has uncovered a cyber fraud involving the unauthorised withdrawal of Rs 5.67 lakh from a boutique owner’s bank account, leading to the arrest of three individuals, including the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy.
According to police, the case was registered after complainant Vinod Hira, a resident of Dilshad Garden, reported suspicious transactions from his State Bank of India account. Hira, who runs a boutique in Sarojini Nagar, discovered the fraud after a cheque issued for Rs 6,500 was dishonoured due to insufficient funds.
On checking his account, he found that approximately Rs 5.67 lakh had been siphoned off through unauthorised UPI transactions, despite the account originally holding about Rs 5.80 lakh.
An FIR was registered on May 14 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, following which a dedicated investigation team was formed under senior supervision of the Shahdara Cyber Police.
Investigators analysed bank records, UPI trails, IP logs and digital evidence to trace the flow of funds. The probe revealed that the stolen money had been routed through multiple “mule accounts” in an attempt to obscure the transaction trail.
Further scrutiny identified accounts operated by individuals named Adil Salmani and Maninder Singh as key links in the money-laundering chain. The investigation eventually led police to the alleged mastermind, identified as Nitin Gulati.
Acting on technical surveillance and intelligence inputs, police conducted coordinated raids across multiple locations in Delhi, resulting in the arrest of all three accused.
Police said Gulati, who is also the complainant’s nephew, allegedly orchestrated the fraud by siphoning money from his uncle’s bank account using unauthorised UPI access. The stolen funds were then allegedly layered through multiple mule accounts before being routed back to accounts linked to him.
Investigators further stated that Salmani and Maninder Singh knowingly allowed their bank accounts to be used to receive and transfer the illicit funds, helping conceal the origin and movement of the money. Both accused reportedly admitted to their involvement during interrogation.
Police said the arrests have helped reconstruct the complete financial trail of the fraud and recover crucial digital and banking evidence. Efforts are continuing to determine whether more individuals were involved in the network.