New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The Cyber Police Station of Delhi’s South-West District has busted an inter-state cyber fraud syndicate involved in impersonation-based online scams and arrested four accused, including a Nigerian national. The gang cheated a complainant of Rs 1.46 lakh by falsely claiming that a parcel containing US dollars and gold had been sent to India in his name.
Police said the operation involved coordinated investigations across Delhi, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. A total of seven mobile phones allegedly used in the commission of the offence have been recovered.
According to police, a complaint was received on March 31, at PS Cyber, South-West District, alleging that the complainant had been cheated by unidentified persons through an online impersonation scam. The fraudsters reportedly contacted the victim through WhatsApp messages and phone calls while posing as residents of the United States.
Investigators said the accused gradually gained the complainant’s trust by establishing a personal relationship and then falsely informed him that a parcel containing US dollars and gold had been dispatched to India in his name.
The victim was subsequently asked to pay money on various pretexts, including obtaining a Money Declaration Certificate, booking flight tickets, customs clearance charges and securing the release of the purportedly seized parcel.
Believing the claims to be genuine, the complainant transferred Rs 1.46 lakh through multiple UPI IDs and bank accounts. Following the complaint, an e-FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was launched.
Given the seriousness of the case, a special team comprising SI Vishal Yadav, HC Pramod Kumar, HC Vikram, HC Amit Kumar and W/HC Reena Kumari was constituted under the supervision of Inspector Pravesh Kaushik, SHO, PS Cyber, and ACP Operations Sanghamitra.
During the investigation, the team conducted extensive technical analysis, examined digital evidence, tracked financial transactions and carried out surveillance. The investigation trail led police from Delhi to Telangana and eventually to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Based on technical inputs, the first accused, Deepak Kumar (22), was arrested from Maidan Garhi in South Delhi. One mobile phone allegedly used in the fraud was recovered from his possession.
Further investigation led the team to Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in Telangana, where Konda Sagar (33) was arrested. Subsequently, Azmeera Vinod Kumar (30) was apprehended from Dubbapeta in Telangana, and two mobile phones were recovered from him.
Continuing the probe, investigators uncovered the involvement of Simeon Miracle Chinonso (22), a Nigerian national residing in Visakhapatnam. Acting on technical Intelligence, the police conducted a raid in Andhra Pradesh and arrested the accused. Four mobile phones allegedly used in the cyber fraud operation were recovered from her possession.
Police said the investigation revealed that the accused were part of an organised cyber fraud network. Deepak Kumar, Konda Sagar and Azmeera Vinod Kumar allegedly arranged and supplied mule bank accounts to cybercriminals in exchange for commissions.
Meanwhile, Chinonso allegedly impersonated immigration officials, customs officers and representatives of various organisations through WhatsApp chats and phone calls. Victims were induced to transfer money on the false promise of receiving foreign parcels and clearing customs and documentation formalities.
Investigators found that the defrauded money was routed through multiple bank accounts to conceal its origin and facilitate further transfers.
Police have recovered seven mobile phones from the accused. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate and trace additional victims who may have been targeted through similar frauds.
–IANS
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