A major cyber fraud case involving a fake work-from-home and online investment scheme has led to the arrest of three accused who allegedly duped a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) employee of ₹15.74 lakh. Investigators say the accused initially lured the victim with small profits and then persuaded him to invest increasingly larger sums through fraudulent investment plans. The scam came to light when the victim was unable to withdraw his funds and was instead asked to make additional payments.
The arrested accused have been identified as Sandeep Sain (30) and Parikshit (23), both residents of Haryana, and Sachin Jhakkar (25), a resident of Rajasthan. Following a cyber investigation, all three were arrested from different locations. Investigators are now examining whether the group was involved in similar frauds across other states as part of a larger organised network.
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The Property Rating Task Traps
According to the complaint, the victim approached authorities in July last year after realising he had fallen prey to an elaborate online fraud. He stated that he was contacted through WhatsApp by individuals claiming to represent a company offering work-from-home opportunities related to property rental ratings and leasing services. The communication appeared professional and convincing, giving the victim little reason to suspect foul play.
The fraudsters subsequently added him to a Telegram group, where he was allegedly provided training and instructed to register on multiple websites. He was assigned various online tasks and was told that completing them would generate income. To gain his confidence, the scammers initially credited small profits after he completed certain assignments and deposited modest amounts of money.
The Multi-Tiered Layering Accounts
Encouraged by these early returns, the victim continued participating in the programme. As his confidence grew, the fraudsters introduced what they described as premium investment opportunities, including “charter leases,” “bonus tasks,” and other high-return schemes. They repeatedly assured him that larger investments would generate significantly higher profits and that withdrawals could be made at any time.
Believing the promises, the victim allegedly transferred money on several occasions through different channels and accounts. Technical tracing by investigators revealed that Parikshit acted as the first-layer account holder receiving the initial fraud proceeds, while Sandeep functioned as a second-layer holder facilitating onward transfers. Sachin allegedly provided and managed the external bank accounts used for routing the cheated funds.
Penalties Levied on Simulated Dashboards
Over time, his online account displayed a substantial balance, reinforcing the impression that his investments were performing well. However, when he attempted to withdraw the funds, the fraudsters introduced a new condition.
The accused allegedly informed him that a “withdrawal penalty” had to be paid before the money could be released. The amount demanded was said to be nearly 50 percent of the balance reflected in his account. By then, the victim had already transferred a total of ₹15.74 lakh. Despite making multiple payments, he neither received any returns nor recovered his original investment.
Raid Operations Across Multiple States
After repeated delays, excuses, and fresh demands for money, the victim realised that he had been trapped in a well-planned cyber fraud operation. A formal complaint was subsequently lodged, prompting a detailed investigation. Authorities conducted technical surveillance, analysed digital evidence, and traced financial transactions linked to the case.
These efforts eventually led to the identification and arrest of the accused. Sandeep was apprehended from Karnal in Haryana, followed by Sachin from Pitampura in Delhi. Parikshit, who had initially evaded police teams during high-stakes raids, was eventually tracked down and taken into custody from Hisar, Haryana.
Social Engineering and Scripted Coercion
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cybercriminals increasingly rely on social engineering tactics to manipulate victims. According to him, fraudsters often build trust by showing small initial profits before encouraging larger investments. Once substantial sums have been deposited, they create new obstacles such as withdrawal fees, taxes, penalties, or account verification charges to extract additional money from victims.
He advised the public to exercise extreme caution before investing through WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, or unknown online platforms promising guaranteed returns. Individuals should independently verify the authenticity of any investment opportunity and avoid transferring money based solely on online communications.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities suspect that the accused may have links to other cyber fraud cases operating across multiple regions of the country.
