- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: Delhi Police have apprehended four individuals in connection with a cyber fraud case involving a digital arrest scam that conned a Japanese company manager out of over Rs 31 lakh, officials reported on Saturday. The investigation, which lasted nearly a year and involved raids across multiple states including Rajasthan, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Delhi, uncovered the details of the scam.
The victim, Rahul Iqbal, a manager based in Yamuna Vihar, Delhi, and employed by a Japanese firm, filed a complaint in May 2024. He recounted receiving a call from someone claiming to be an employee of a prominent courier service, who alleged that a parcel Rahul had sent to Taiwan contained illegal items like passports and drugs. The caller claimed the matter had been reported to the Mumbai Cyber Crime Branch.
Soon after, another caller impersonating Sub-Inspector Naresh Gupta Banerjee accused Rahul of involvement in money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorism. Rahul was threatened with arrest and coerced into participating in a ‘Mumbai investigation.’ He was instructed to download Skype and avoid communicating with others. The fraudsters stole personal and financial details from Rahul, convincing him to transfer nearly Rs 30.85 lakh into fake RBI accounts, claiming it was for verification purposes related to money laundering.
The North East Delhi Cyber Police registered an FIR under IPC Sections 419, 420, 120B, and 109, and investigation was assigned to Sub Inspector Anuplata Yadav. It was uncovered that Rs 20.10 lakh of the stolen amount was transferred to Punjab National Bank accounts linked to a fictitious firm called “Satish Traders,” which was registered under false documents including UDYAM registration, MSME certificate, and municipal licenses. The account was operated by Satish Kumar Singh, a 34-year-old from Jharkhand.
Following raids in Delhi, Singh was arrested as a key suspect who had allegedly received around Rs 2 crore through these fraudulent accounts. Police recovered SIM cards and mobile phones used to procure fake documents during his arrest. Further investigation revealed a syndicate involved in opening fake accounts to receive illicit funds obtained through digital arrest threats. Three additional suspects, including two account holders and one account provider connected to the scam, were detained in Sirsa.
Delhi Police have frozen the fraudulent accounts, and Rs 11.5 lakh has been refunded to the victim as per court orders. Authorities are actively pursuing three to four more accused believed to be part of the gang, with raids still ongoing.
