New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has arrested the kingpin of a well-organised cheating racket that targeted vulnerable women at hospitals and temples across the national Capital, officials said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Paro (38), a resident of Bawana, had been absconding since 2023 and was declared a Proclaimed Offender in two cases. She was wanted in at least three cheating cases registered in different police stations of Delhi.

According to police, the gang operated with a consistent modus operandi, targeting unsuspecting women who appeared alone or vulnerable, particularly at hospital premises and temple areas. The incidents were reported from multiple locations across the city, indicating a coordinated pattern of crime.

In one of the cases, registered as FIR No. 99/2023 at I.P. Estate police station, one accused had earlier been arrested, but Paro, who played a key role in planning and executing the crimes, managed to evade arrest and went into hiding.

Taking serious note of the recurring pattern, the Central Range of the Crime Branch was tasked with identifying and apprehending the mastermind behind the racket. A dedicated team was constituted under the leadership of Inspector Vinay Kumar and supervised by ACP Satendra Mohan.

The team conducted an extensive month-long investigation, analysing CCTV footage from nearly 50 locations, including hospital premises and temple areas. Through sustained surveillance, technical analysis, and local Intelligence inputs, the accused was finally traced and apprehended on April 9 from Bawana.

Police revealed that the accused and her associates would initiate conversations with potential victims on the pretext of offering help or sharing personal experiences. They would then gradually manipulate the victims psychologically, often creating a sense of urgency or fear, including warnings of bad luck or imminent danger.

Once the victim was sufficiently confused or disoriented, the accused would deceitfully remove or get the victim convince to part with their gold ornaments and valuables before fleeing the spot.

In one such incident dated April 18, 2023, a woman was targeted at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and was cheated of her gold jewellery using a similar tactic.

During interrogation, it was revealed that Paro is educated up to Class 8 and lives in jhuggi clusters in Bawana. She got married in 2012 and has three children. Her husband is reportedly a habitual drinker, and due to financial distress, she gradually got involved in criminal activities, eventually emerging as the leader of the gang.

Further verification confirmed that she had been declared a Proclaimed Offender by a court at Tis Hazari Courts in November 2023 and had been evading arrest since then.

Police said she is involved in at least three cases, including FIR No. 99/2023 and FIR No. 84/2023 registered at I.P. Estate police station, and FIR No. 75/2023 registered at Mandir Marg police station, all under Sections 420/34 of the IPC.

Further investigation is underway to identify and arrest her associates and to ascertain her involvement in other similar cases, police added.

–IANS

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