Five arrested as Delhi Police bust interstate cyber fraud racket

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested five individuals and busted an interstate cyber fraud syndicate involved in online investment and task-based scams, officials said. The accused were apprehended from Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand following a coordinated operation by the Cyber Police Station of East District.

According to police, the racket was engaged in duping unsuspecting victims across the country through fraudulent online investment platforms, promising lucrative returns. The syndicate also played a key role in supplying mule bank accounts to cyber criminals, enabling them to route and conceal proceeds of crime. Investigators have linked a fraudulent amount of Rs 3,40,877 to multiple complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

The case came to light after a complaint was lodged by Sashi Ranjan Bharti, a resident of New Ashok Nagar in Delhi. He reported that he was added to a WhatsApp group on April 6, 2026, where fraudsters posed as digital marketing professionals and lured him into participating in product-based online tasks and investment schemes. Believing their assurances of high returns, he transferred money through multiple transactions and was eventually cheated of Rs 1,01,869. Subsequently, he filed a complaint on the NCRP, leading to the registration of an e-FIR (No. 112/2026) at the Cyber Police Station, East District.

During the investigation, cyber experts conducted a detailed analysis of bank transactions, KYC records, digital footprints, and financial trails. It was found that a portion of the defrauded money had been transferred into bank accounts operated by individuals based in Udham Singh Nagar. One such account belonged to Raj Bachhar, in which Rs 50,000 from the cheated amount was deposited. Further investigation revealed that the funds were layered and routed through additional accounts, including one operated by Sameer Bachhar, in an attempt to obscure the financial trail.

Acting on these findings, a police team comprising Sub-Inspector Naresh Kumar, Head Constables Vishal Sangwan and Surendra Pal Singh, under the supervision of Inspector Pawan Yadav, SHO of Cyber Police Station East, and overall guidance of ACP (Operations) Pawan Kumar, was dispatched to Uttarakhand. Through sustained technical surveillance, local intelligence gathering, and coordination with local authorities, the team successfully identified and arrested all five accused.

Police said that Raj Bachhar and Sameer Bachhar functioned primarily as mule account holders, providing their bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds. The other accused, Rohit Ray, Rohit Mistri, and Harish Sarkar acted as facilitators who arranged and supplied additional bank accounts to cybercriminal networks for routing illicit money.

The accused reportedly earned commissions for each bank account they supplied and for every transaction processed through these accounts. Their activities were crucial in helping cyber fraudsters evade law enforcement by masking the origin and movement of funds through multiple layers of transactions.

The modus operandi of the syndicate involved targeting financially vulnerable individuals and persuading them to open new bank accounts or hand over control of existing ones in exchange for monetary incentives. These accounts were then used to receive money from victims of online investment scams, task-based frauds, and fake digital trading platforms. The funds were subsequently transferred through a network of accounts to complicate detection and tracking.

During the operation, police recovered five mobile phones used in the commission of cyber fraud activities from the accused.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Raj Bachhar (18), a Class 12 student; Sameer Bachhar (21), a BBA student; Rohit Ray (18), a BBA student; Rohit Mistri (18), a B.Com student; and Harish Sarkar (18), a Class 11 student. All are residents of various locations in Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand.

Police officials said that further efforts are underway to trace and apprehend other members of the larger syndicate who are currently absconding. The investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the East District Police have urged citizens to remain cautious while engaging in online investment opportunities and task-based earning schemes. They advised the public to verify the authenticity of platforms and avoid transferring money to unknown accounts based on claims made through social media, messaging apps, or unverified sources.

Authorities also warned that fraudsters often lure victims with promises of guaranteed returns and exploit their trust. Citizens are encouraged to conduct due diligence before making financial decisions and to remain alert to suspicious online activity.

In case of cyber fraud or any suspicious financial transaction, the public is advised to report the matter immediately through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by contacting the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930.

–IANS

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