Delhi Police carried out a nationwide cybercrime crackdown under Operation CyHawk 5.0, arresting 916 accused and uncovering fraud worth nearly ₹700 crore. The operation was conducted on June 16 and 17 after analysing cybercrime-related data available until May 31, and targeted organised networks involved in financial fraud, phishing attacks, digital scams and online deception.
According to police, the operation involved more than 715 teams and over 2,500 personnel from district police units and 15 cyber police stations. The crackdown covered 21 states and Union Territories, reflecting the wide reach of the networks under investigation.
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Nationwide Action Against Cybercrime Networks
Delhi Police said more than 2,500 complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal were brought under the scope of the operation. Investigators found that the total cheated amount linked to these complaints was close to ₹700 crore.
Police officials said many arrested accused had links to cybercrime hotspots such as Jamtara in Jharkhand and Nuh in Haryana, both of which have frequently come under scrutiny for online fraud activities.
The operation also focused on dismantling the broader ecosystem that enables cybercrime networks to function. Officials said the action was not limited to arrests but extended to tracing fraud infrastructure, intermediaries and digital tools used by organised groups.
Raids Lead to Seizure of Digital Devices
As part of the operation, Delhi Police busted several illegal call centres allegedly used to facilitate cyber fraud. Investigators also recovered laptops, mobile phones and other digital devices suspected to have been used in criminal activities.
Around 7,000 people were reportedly rounded up for verification and questioning during the drive. Nearly 600 people were bound down as a preventive measure, while notices were issued to around 2,000 others as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police said the raids across 21 states highlighted the national scale of cybercrime syndicates and the need for coordinated enforcement action against financial fraud networks.
Naresh Gujral Cyber Fraud Case Also Detailed
Delhi Police also shared details of its investigation into a cyber fraud linked to former Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral. According to officials, the fraud began when the owner of a company received a ZIP file and forwarded it to the finance department.
After an employee opened the file, the company’s system was allegedly compromised by hackers. Investigators said the cybercriminals accessed the system and replaced an existing contact number of Naresh Gujral with a number controlled by the fraudsters.
The accused then allegedly contacted company employees while posing as an authorised individual and instructed them to transfer funds. Police said ₹7.86 crore was transferred in four separate transactions before the fraud was detected. Delhi Police has frozen nearly ₹4 crore linked to the fraudulent transfers and is continuing efforts to trace the remaining amount and identify all individuals involved.
