New Delhi | In a major crackdown on organised cybercrime, the Delhi Police have arrested 57 individuals under a special enforcement drive codenamed Operation ‘Cy-Hawk’, targeting a wide range of cyber and financial frauds operating across the Capital and beyond. Police officials said the accused were involved in cheating victims of more than ₹77 crore, making the operation one of the most significant cybercrime actions in the city this year.
According to senior officers, the arrested accused are linked to 30 criminal cases registered in the southwest district of Delhi, while 236 complaints against them were found recorded on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Investigators said the scale of complaints and financial losses points to a highly organised, multi-layered and interstate fraud network, exploiting digital platforms, banking loopholes and cryptocurrency channels.
Multiple scam formats under one network
Police said Operation Cy-Hawk focused on dismantling cybercrime syndicates involved in a broad spectrum of frauds. These included ATM and debit card fraud, ‘digital arrest’ scams in which victims were threatened with fake law-enforcement action, fake job offer scams, digital marketing fraud, illegal conversion of defrauded funds into USDT and other cryptocurrencies, mule bank account networks, and cheque-withdrawal rackets.
Investigations revealed that victims were approached through phone calls, messaging apps and social media platforms. Fraudsters used impersonation, fear tactics and false promises of employment or financial returns to extract sensitive banking details or induce victims to transfer money.
I4C inputs trigger initial breakthrough
The operation was initiated following actionable intelligence received from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Based on these inputs, police identified two suspicious bank accounts that were allegedly being used to route defrauded funds. These accounts were found to be in the names of Mohammad Salman and Yasmeen, and were linked to at least six cybercrime complaints.
During interrogation, both account holders disclosed that they were acting on the instructions of a man identified as Sahid, who had contacted them through social media. Sahid allegedly offered commissions in exchange for allowing their bank accounts to be used for withdrawing and transferring fraud proceeds.
Main accused tracked and arrested in Ghaziabad
Police officials said Sahid frequently changed locations to evade arrest. However, sustained technical surveillance and human intelligence eventually led police to trace him to Shalimar Garden in Ghaziabad. He was arrested near Bhagat Singh Chowk, DLF, on December 13.
During questioning, Sahid reportedly admitted that he had been active in the fraud network for the past five to six months. He disclosed that he had facilitated the use of around 100 to 150 bank accounts, arranged through acquaintances and intermediaries. Account holders were paid commissions for each withdrawal, while the bulk of the money was routed further up the chain.
Cryptocurrency laundering exposed
Investigators said a key role in laundering the fraud proceeds was played by Azhan, a BTech student, who was arrested from Zakir Nagar. According to police, Azhan converted the defrauded money into cryptocurrency and USDT, making the funds harder to trace, before transferring them to other handlers.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Said-ul-Zafar from southeast Delhi, who allegedly received a portion of the converted crypto funds. Police said the use of digital assets highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber fraud operations.
Other fraud rackets uncovered
As part of the same operation, police also busted a fake loan app fraud and an interstate electricity bill payment scam. Multiple digital devices and banking instruments used in these crimes were seized.
So far, police have recovered one laptop, 41 mobile phones, 54 SIM cards, seven bank passbooks and four ATM cards. Officials said forensic analysis of the seized devices is ongoing and more arrests are likely.
Zero tolerance against cybercrime
Delhi Police officials said Operation Cy-Hawk will continue in the coming weeks as part of a zero-tolerance policy against cyber and financial fraud. Citizens have been advised to remain cautious of unsolicited calls, messages or links, and to immediately report suspected cybercrime incidents to the 1930 cybercrime helpline or through the NCRP portal.
