Delhi Police have arrested seven people allegedly linked to a cyberfraud network involving transactions worth more than ₹30 crore. The investigation began after a Delhi University student lost ₹6,450 while attempting to purchase a kurti advertised on Instagram. Police subsequently traced the payments to a network of bank accounts allegedly used to route proceeds from online fraud.
How Did the ₹799 Kurti Scam Begin?
The complainant, Fatima, a student at Ramjas College and a resident of Prayagraj, encountered an Instagram advertisement posted by an account named Kavya_kurti_hub. She contacted the seller through WhatsApp, ordered a kurti priced at ₹799 and paid ₹400 in advance using a QR code.
She later received a call requesting a passcode for parcel delivery. The caller persuaded her to make additional payments, claiming they were necessary to generate the code and process refundable charges.
Fatima transferred ₹1,150, ₹2,000, ₹2,650 and ₹650 in separate transactions. Neither the parcel nor the promised refund arrived.
How Did Police Trace the Network?
Following her complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, an FIR was registered at the Cyber Police Station, North District, on September 4.
Investigators examined nearly 200 mobile numbers, IMEI details, banking transactions and digital records obtained from service providers, including Flipkart, Zomato and Blue Dart. The financial trail led through Pine Labs Merchant to a Canara Bank account linked to Kizentech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Greater Noida.
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Who Was Arrested?
Police conducted coordinated raids in Greater Noida on October 16, arresting Aditya Mishra, Ayush Verma, Abhishek Pal, Himanshu Rana, Rahul Kumar and Gaurav Pandey.
Another accused, Udit Pratap Singh Bhadauriya, was arrested in Kanpur on October 21. The operation was led by Sub-Inspector Arvind Yadav under the supervision of senior North District police officers.
How Were Bank Accounts Used?
Investigators identified approximately 25 bank accounts allegedly opened under fictitious firms and individuals to route fraudulent payments.
Police said the accused established businesses and opened current accounts that were subsequently supplied to other syndicate members in exchange for monthly payments and commissions. Pandey, an MBA graduate, allegedly played a significant role in arranging these accounts.
What Did Police Recover?
Investigators linked 27 cyberfraud complaints from different states to the network. Police recovered 20 mobile phones, 45 SIM cards, 39 point-of-sale machines, 33 debit cards, 28 cheque books, 15 scanners, two laptops and several identity and banking documents.
The420 Insight: What Does This Mean?
The case illustrates how a relatively small online shopping fraud can expose a larger financial network. Police are continuing investigations to identify additional members and establish connections with other cyberfraud cases.
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