New Delhi: In a major crackdown against organised cybercrime operations, the West District Cyber Unit of Delhi Police has detained 89 individuals within a month as part of a large-scale interstate operation targeting financial fraud networks. Among them, 35 accused were formally arrested, while 54 others were taken into preventive custody during coordinated raids and technical investigations conducted across multiple states in April 2026.
Multi-State Syndicates and Cryptocurrency Laundering
According to investigators, the operation focused on several categories of cyber-enabled crimes, including digital arrest scams, investment frauds, APK file scams, fake dating club memberships, and mule bank account networks. Authorities said the fraud cases under investigation involved cheated amounts exceeding ₹70 crore. Preliminary findings also revealed that multiple syndicates were attempting to hide stolen funds through cryptocurrency transactions and layered financial transfers designed to evade law enforcement scrutiny.
During the operation, police recovered hundreds of SIM cards, ATM cards, banking documents, smartphones, and digital devices allegedly used in cyber fraud activities. Investigators believe the accused were using fake bank accounts and rented financial identities to rapidly transfer defrauded money across different states in order to complicate tracing efforts.
High-Tech Mule Networks and Dramatic Escape Bids
In one major breakthrough, police dismantled an alleged mule account and OTP routing syndicate operating from the Karampura area of Delhi. During the raid, some accused reportedly attempted to escape by jumping from the fourth floor of a multi-storey building, but were eventually apprehended by the police team. The arrested accused were identified as Bittoo Chaudhary, Lavish Chugh, Rishi, Arun Singh, Ashish, and Deepak Bhatt.
Searches conducted during the raid led to the seizure of 43 smartphones, 313 SIM cards, 184 ATM cards, 51 cheque books, two passbooks, and two laptops. Investigators said the accused were allegedly linked to 35 cybercrime complaints registered in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh involving fraud transactions worth nearly ₹40 crore.
Exploitation via Telegram Bots and Fake Dating Clubs
In another operation, police exposed a separate cyber fraud network allegedly running fake dating club membership scams. Investigators said the syndicate used social media advertisements and Telegram-based chatbots to lure individuals into purchasing fraudulent VIP memberships and other fake digital services.
The accused arrested in this case include Sachin Rawat, Akshay Kumar Baliyan, and Kartikey Choudhary. According to investigators, Kartikey Choudhary allegedly arranged nearly 40 mule bank accounts that were used to transfer and distribute fraud proceeds. During the investigation, police also traced certain digital trails linked to IP addresses originating from Africa, raising suspicions of possible international connections.
Psychological Manipulation via Digital Arrest Scams
Another case involved the digital arrest scam targeting a senior citizen. Fraudsters allegedly impersonated law enforcement and investigative officials, falsely claiming that the victim was linked to a money laundering case. The accused then pressured the victim into transferring money under the pretext of “verification” and “legal clearance.” Raids conducted in Ludhiana, Punjab, and Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, resulted in the arrest of four accused allegedly involved in operating mule bank accounts and converting cheated funds into cryptocurrency through layered financial transactions.
Cyber experts associated with Future Crime Research Foundation have warned that organised cybercrime syndicates are becoming increasingly sophisticated and interstate in nature. Criminal networks are now heavily relying on social engineering techniques, fake KYC identities, rented bank accounts, cryptocurrency channels, and encrypted communication platforms to avoid detection.
Experts have advised citizens to exercise caution before clicking unknown links, downloading APK files, joining Telegram investment groups, or responding to dating membership offers circulated online. Cybercrime agencies have also urged people to immediately report suspicious digital activity through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and avoid sharing sensitive banking or OTP information with unknown individuals.
