Delhi Police busts inter-state 'digital arrest' scam network, 4 held

Delhi Police's Cyber Cell has busted an inter-state network facilitating 'digital arrest' scams. Four operatives were arrested for supplying bank accounts to overseas fraudsters who extorted a retired Army Colonel of Rs 15.5 lakh in Munirka.

The Cyber Police Station of Delhi's South-West District has dismantled an inter-state cyber-fraud facilitation network linked to "digital arrest" scams, arresting four key operatives across Punjab and Rajasthan, officials said on Friday.

The syndicate allegedly specialised in procuring and supplying current bank accounts to overseas-linked fraud operators who targeted high-profile victims under the guise of law enforcement inquiries.

Retired Colonel Extorted in 'Digital Arrest' Scam

The crackdown follows a complaint lodged on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) by a retired Indian Army Colonel residing in Munirka Enclave, who was extorted with Rs 15.5 lakh On April 15, 2026, the victim received an automated alert claiming his phone line was being terminated on Maharashtra Police orders.

He was then connected to impersonators claiming to be police personnel, who alleged his identity was tied to an illegal Mumbai bank account involved in money laundering and terror financing.

The fraudsters sent forged Enforcement Directorate warrants, Bombay High Court papers, and fake RBI directives via messaging apps.

The victim and his wife were subjected to continuous video surveillance and psychological intimidation before being coerced into transferring Rs 15.50 lakh as "verification deposits."

Investigation Exposes Multi-Layered Racket

Following an investigation registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at PS Cyber, South-West, officers traced the initial money trail to a commercial bank account in Ludhiana.

The Procurement Chain

A series of targeted raids in Ludhiana and Sikar exposed a multi-layered procurement chain operating on a commission model: Account holder Sarbjit (38) handed his current account over to Suraj (30) with the assistance of Sandeep (32), an employee at the bank who facilitated the internal clearance.

Intermediary Logistics: The trio travelled to Jaipur to deliver the physical banking kits to Naresh alias Lucky (31).

Naresh processed the acquired bank accounts through Telegram network channels and handed them directly to cyber-fraud rings operating out of Cambodia and Dubai/UAE.

Wider Network and Ongoing Probe

During interrogation, police recovered four smartphones and six SIM cards used to execute the handoffs.

Analysis of the primary beneficiary account on the NCRP database revealed a wider footprint across multiple jurisdictions.

Linked to active cyber-fraud cases across several States and Union Territories. Multiple fraudulent transactions running into crores of rupees were routed through the same network before being siphoned out of domestic banking channels.

Delhi Police confirmed that all four suspects--Sarbjit, Suraj, Sandeep, and Naresh--are in custody. Further investigative efforts are underway to map the extended international money trail and apprehend additional domestic facilitators. (ANI)

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