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How Delhi Police Uncovered A Rs 73 Crore Digital-Arrest Scam

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activeCyber Crime / Digital ArrestDelhi

How Delhi Police Uncovered A Rs 73 Crore Digital-Arrest Scam

Delhi Police have busted a digital-arrest scam network, arresting 11 individuals and freezing over Rs 12 crore. According to investigators, the operation has international links to handlers in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries. An analysis of online chats and evidence connected the network to 78 complaints nationwide involving a total of Rs 73 crore.

State

Delhi

First reported

October 2026

Total Amount Involved (Nationwide)

Rs 73 crore across 78 complaints

Agency Involved

Delhi Police Special Cell

Arrests

11 individuals

Linked Cases

Cases in Andhra Pradesh (Vijayawada) and Delhi

Status

Ongoing investigation, 11 accused arrested and major funds frozen

The full story

Everything you need to know about this case, in one place.

The investigation began after a 69-year-old retired scientist and former director in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology alleged he was cheated of Rs 1.25 crore. The victim reported receiving calls from individuals posing as law enforcement officers who claimed his Aadhaar details were misused in a money laundering case. Police stated the suspects subjected the victim to continuous video surveillance and forced him to transfer funds through RTGS.

During raids in Delhi, police arrested multiple individuals and uncovered mule bank accounts, Telegram coordination chats, and a suspicious app used to forward OTPs to foreign handlers. Investigators also linked the network to other major cyber-fraud cases, including a Rs 10.25 crore scam in Andhra Pradesh and a Rs 77 lakh case registered in Delhi.

Not yet reported: The articles do not specify the exact legal charges or sections under which the FIR was registered beyond stating it was filed at the Special Cell police station.

Where the case stands

The latest position in the reports we read.

Eleven individuals have been arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell, and over Rs 12 crore has been frozen. Further investigations into the international network and other linked cyber-fraud cases are underway.

Who was affected

Described in general terms; we do not name victims.

Numerous victims across India, including a 69-year-old retired scientist and former government director from Delhi who lost Rs 1.25 crore, and a 79-year-old man from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, who lost Rs 10.25 crore.

Timeline

Key dates as reported, oldest first.

JuneA digital-arrest case involving Rs 77 lakh was registered by the Delhi Police, which investigators later linked to the arrested accused.

August 14The retired scientist received the initial fraudulent call claiming his Aadhaar was misused and was subsequently cheated out of Rs 1.25 crore.

TuesdayDelhi Police officially announced the arrest of 11 men and the freezing of over Rs 12 crore in connection with the scam.

How the scam worked

The method described in the reports.

Callers posed as officers from agencies like the Delhi Police, ATS, and NIA, claiming the victim's Aadhaar details were linked to money laundering.
The victim was placed under continuous video surveillance and threatened with arrest to control his movements.
Under the pretext of verifying funds, the victim was induced to transfer money via RTGS to designated bank accounts.
The network used Telegram for coordination and arranged mule bank accounts to funnel the illegal proceeds.
A suspicious mobile application was used to automatically forward text messages and OTPs to overseas cyber criminals.
Commissions were paid in USDT cryptocurrency and later converted into Indian rupees through crypto exchanges.

Targeted by something similar?

Call 1930 (free, 24x7) straight away, then file at cybercrime.gov.in. Money reported in the first hours is far easier to freeze.

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Keep reading

More cases like this one.

Delhi Police Uncovers Rs 10 Crore Cyber Fraud RingCyber Crime / Digital Arrest · Delhi Delhi Police CyHawk 6.0: 944 Arrested in ₹479 Crore Cyber Fraud CrackdownCyber Crime / Digital Arrest · Delhi Delhi Police Arrest Seven in ₹3.93-Crore Cyber Fraud CaseCyber Crime / Digital Arrest · Delhi Delhi Police Busts Rs 30 Crore Cyber Fraud Network In Greater NoidaCyber Crime / Digital Arrest · Delhi

Sources and further reading

Optional. The full story is above; these are the original reports it was prepared from.

rediff.comOriginal report RediffOpens via Google News

Prepared by Report Scams, with the help of AI, from the published reports listed above. Check those reports for the latest. Cases here describe allegations. An FIR, arrest or charge is not a finding of guilt. To report a mistake, or to ask for a correction or removal, write to our Grievance Officer. See also the Safe Posting policy.