Delhi Police Cracks Down on ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam, Signals Zero-Tolerance Push Against Cybercrime Nationwide
The Delhi Police on Saturday intensified its campaign against cybercrime, announcing the arrest of five more accused in a massive “digital arrest” fraud that saw an elderly NRI couple cheated of ₹14.85 crore in South Delhi’s Greater Kailash.
With these arrests, the total number of accused apprehended in the case has risen to eight, underscoring what the police describe as a firm zero-tolerance policy against organised cyber fraud.
The arrests were made by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations Unit (IFSO), which revealed that the racket was part of a transnational cyber fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia and Nepal.
Who Has Been Arrested
The five newly arrested accused have been identified as:
- Arun Kumar Tiwari and Pradyuman Tiwari from Varanasi
- Bhupender Mishra and Aadesh Singh from Lucknow
- Mahavir Sharma from Bhubaneswar
Police said the accused come from diverse professional backgrounds, including private data entry work, NGO operations, priesthood, private employment, and coaching services—highlighting how cybercrime networks increasingly recruit seemingly ordinary individuals to act as financial conduits.
According to investigators, Arun Tiwari worked as a private data entry operator and ran an NGO, while Pradyuman Tiwari performed religious rituals at Varanasi ghats.
Bhupender Mishra held an MBA, and Aadesh Singh was involved in private coaching. Mahavir Sharma, also known as Neel, is a commerce graduate.
How the Scam Worked
The victims, Om Taneja (81) and Indira Taneja (77), residents of Greater Kailash-II, were targeted between December 24, 2025, and January 9, 2026.
Fraudsters impersonated officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and claimed that Indira Taneja’s mobile number had surfaced in a money-laundering investigation in Mumbai.
Using fear and authority as tools, the scammers convinced the couple that verification by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was necessary, coercing them into transferring large sums and sharing bank details.
The funds were then routed through a complex web of mule bank accounts.
Multi-State Raids and Digital Tracking
A special investigation team led by Sub-Inspectors Raj Kiran and Atul Yadav, under the supervision of ACP Prem Chandra Khanduri and overall guidance of DCP Vinit Kumar, carried out extensive digital and financial forensics.
The probe traced suspicious transactions across multiple states, leading to coordinated raids and arrests.
The first arrest in the case was that of Divyang Patel from Vadodara, whose account alone received ₹4 crore from the victims.
Subsequent arrests followed in Gujarat, revealing that all accused functioned as facilitators—opening, operating, and managing mule accounts on instructions from handlers based abroad.
Seven mobile phones and multiple cheque books were seized during the operation.
Police confirmed that the syndicate routinely impersonated officials from the police, CBI, customs, and other government agencies to psychologically manipulate victims into compliance—a hallmark of so-called “digital arrest” scams.
Zero-Tolerance Message to Cyber Criminals
Terming the offence grave, organised, and inter-state, Delhi Police said the investigation is ongoing to identify remaining conspirators and trace the full money trail.
Reaffirming the force’s stand, DCP Vinit Kumar said Delhi Police has adopted a zero-tolerance approach toward cybercrime and digital arrest scams in particular.
“This is the time for police forces across the country to adopt the same uncompromising policy, tighten enforcement, and pull up their socks against cyber fraud,” he said.
Police have urged citizens to remain alert against calls or messages claiming “digital arrest” or verification by government agencies, and to immediately report such attempts.
As cybercrime syndicates grow increasingly sophisticated and borderless, Delhi Police’s aggressive action sends a clear signal: digital fraud will be pursued relentlessly, and accountability will extend from foreign handlers to domestic facilitators across India.
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