New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the Delhi Police Crime Branch (Western Range-II) on Saturday has dismantled an interstate cyber fraud syndicate involved in a high-value online investment scam. Four accused persons have been apprehended in connection with the case, which spanned multiple states, including Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

According to officials, the well-organised network was engaged in procuring mule bank accounts and routing defrauded money through layered financial channels to conceal the transaction trail. During the operation, police recovered and seized three mobile phones and three SIM cards used in the commission of the crime.

The case was registered under e-FIR No. 00025/2025 dated November 13, 2025, at the Crime Branch Police Station under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a complaint of online investment fraud amounting to Rs 33,83,588. The victim had been lured into investing money on the false promise of high returns through online trading platforms.

During the investigation, the cheated amount was traced to 15 bank accounts, of which 13 were found to be registered outside Delhi, highlighting the interstate and organised nature of the syndicate. So far, four accused have been arrested in the case.

Police revealed that the victim was initially enticed with promises of lucrative returns on online investments. After making initial deposits, the victim was repeatedly coerced into transferring additional funds under the pretext that further payments were required to unlock or recover earlier investments.

Misled by these assurances, the victim transferred money in multiple instalments, ultimately suffering significant financial loss.

Through detailed financial analysis, technical surveillance, and extensive field verification across multiple locations, investigators identified and tracked the accused. An amount of Rs 2 lakh each was traced to bank accounts linked to two of the accused, Md. Khalid and Ramandeep Singh.

The investigation involved the analysis of over 100 Call Detail Records (CDRs), IMEI data, Customer Application Forms (CAF), and IP logs related to financial transactions. This technical examination played a crucial role in mapping the digital trail and establishing the nexus among the accused.

A dedicated team led by Inspector Gautam Malik, including SI Ravi Bhushan and other personnel, was formed under the supervision of ACP Raj Pal Dabas to carry out coordinated operations and arrests across states.

Md. Khalid (26), a resident of Jahangirpuri, Delhi, was arrested on March 15. He confessed to providing his bank account and SIM card to a co-accused for a commission of Rs 5,000. Subsequently, Atiur Rahman (23), also from Jahangirpuri, was arrested on March 25, from Rohtak Jail, where he was lodged in a similar case. He admitted to facilitating the use of bank accounts for fraudulent transactions.

Ramandeep Singh (29), a resident of Fazilka, Punjab, was arrested on April 6, and revealed that he had handed over his bank account details to another accused, Tanish alias Heera Ram, for Rs 15,000. Tanish (27), a resident of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was later arrested on April 9, 2026, for his role as an intermediary in arranging mule accounts.

Further investigation is underway to trace other members of the syndicate.

Delhi Police has advised citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. People are urged to verify the authenticity of investment schemes before transferring money and to avoid engaging with unknown individuals or suspicious platforms.

In case of suspected cyber fraud, citizens should immediately report the incident on the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or through the official cybercrime reporting portal.

–IANS

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