New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough against organised cybercrime, the Cyber Police Station of East District, Delhi Police, on Wednesday busted a cyber fraud syndicate involved in cheating job seekers by offering fake overseas employment opportunities with reputed foreign companies. Two accused persons have been arrested in connection with the case.

According to police, the fraud came to light after a complainant, identified as ‘R’, reported that she had been deceived into depositing Rs 1.63 lakh on the false promise of securing a job in Japan. Acting on the complaint, the police registered E-FIR No. 140/25 dated December 22, 2025, under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Cyber, East District.

The complainant alleged that the accused had posed as recruitment consultants and representatives of reputed foreign companies. They convinced her to transfer money under various pretexts, including documentation charges, verification fees, attestation charges, visa processing fees, and other employment-related formalities.

During the investigation, police carried out a detailed analysis of the financial transactions linked to the fraud. The money trail revealed that the cheated amount had been routed through multiple beneficiary bank accounts. Investigators identified a key beneficiary account belonging to accused Kush Bhatnagar, into which Rs 1,27,400 was directly credited as the first-layer transaction.

Further scrutiny of the financial records revealed that the funds were subsequently distributed through several accounts, including co-accused Amit, who received Rs 14,850 and allegedly facilitated the withdrawal and onward transfer of the defrauded money.

A dedicated team from PS Cyber, East District, travelled to Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and conducted extensive field investigations. Based on sustained interrogation, examination of bank records, digital evidence, and detailed money trail analysis, police gathered substantial incriminating evidence against both accused persons. They were subsequently arrested in accordance with legal procedures.

Investigators further established that both accused were active members of an organised cyber fraud syndicate that targeted job seekers across the country through fake overseas recruitment schemes.

Police revealed that the syndicate followed a well-planned modus operandi. The accused allegedly harvested personal information and contact details of job seekers from online employment portals and other sources. Thereafter, fraudulent emails were sent to potential victims in the names of reputed foreign companies, including Toyota Japan and Nippon Steel Corporation Japan.

Victims were informed that their resumes had been shortlisted for lucrative overseas employment opportunities. Fake interviews were then conducted, and candidates were asked to submit various personal and professional documents. Once trust was established, the fraudsters demanded money under the pretext of obtaining Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) attestation reports, employment approval letters, embassy clearances, visa processing fees, international verification reports, and other mandatory formalities.

To conceal their activities and complicate investigations, the accused allegedly used multiple bank accounts, SIM cards, email IDs, and digital platforms to collect and distribute the cheated funds.

During the operation, police recovered significant digital evidence from the accused. From Kush Bhatnagar, investigators seized a Nothing 3A Lite mobile phone, two Jio SIM cards, access to recruitment-related email accounts and online portals used for sending fraudulent job offers, WhatsApp chats with co-accused persons, and other digital communications linked to the crime. Evidence related to fraudulent recruitment activities conducted in the names of foreign companies was also recovered.

From co-accused Amit, police recovered a mobile phone allegedly used in the commission of the offence, along with relevant digital evidence pertaining to the receipt and withdrawal of the cheated funds.

The arrested accused have been identified as Kush Bhatnagar, 22, and Amit, 23, both residents of CB Ganj, Khalilpur Road, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Police said that no previous criminal involvement has been found against either accused so far.

Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate. Authorities are also examining additional digital evidence, tracing the extended money trail, identifying more victims, and making efforts to recover the defrauded funds.

–IANS

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