The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Crime Branch has busted a major digital arrest syndicate that extorted a 71-year-old woman of 49 lakh rupees. Officers said the gang used fear, lies, and fake law enforcement identities to trap the victim for almost a full day. Six men who handled mule accounts and local operations have been arrested.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Aditya Gautam said the case demonstrated how cyber fraud networks were luring vulnerable youth and using them as disposable pawns. He said the team moved fast once they traced the money trail and spotted the pattern of intimidation used in digital arrest scams. The breakthrough came during the probe of FIR No. 8/25. The complaint was filed by the senior citizen who had been threatened with arrest and legal action. The callers posed as police and government officials. They accused her of involvement in a fake case. They then forced her to stay on video call for close to 24 hours. She was told she could not disconnect the call and was ordered to transfer her savings into several bank accounts.
Investigators stated that the syndicate utilised layered accounts to conceal the flow of funds. The money was moved quickly. It was withdrawn from ATMs soon after. The trail linked the operation to pockets across Lucknow. Raids were carried out in Aminabad, Hasanganj, Madey Ganj, and Sadar Cantt. The team utilised technical tracking to pinpoint key members.
Those arrested include Mohd Ovais, 25, from Aminabad. He studied up to Class 5 and works at a flex-printing shop. Police said he helped create and manage mule accounts.
Vishal Tiwari, 19, from Dali Ganj, was also caught. He is a first-year college student and works with a grocery chain. Officers said he handled withdrawals and passed cash to handlers. Shakeel Ahmad, 53, from Madey Ganj, was picked up next.
He is a tailor and is already facing trial in another criminal case under Sections 302 and 304B of the IPC. Police said his role was to identify vulnerable youth in the locality and pull them into the racket. Mohd Ahad, 25, from the same locality, is unemployed and studied till Class 8. He acted as a link between recruiters and account operators.
Two more accused are from Sadar Cantt. They are Mohd Atif and Mohd Ujjaib, both 25 and both Class 12 pass.
They work in private hotels. Officers said they operated accounts that received large chunks of the victim’s money. They withdrew cash and sent it up the chain.
Investigators said the gang’s method was typical of digital arrest fraud. Callers spoof official numbers. They pretend to be from law enforcement agencies. They accuse victims of crimes like money laundering or drug trafficking.
They then force them into a state of isolation. Victims are told not to speak to family members. Some are kept on calls for hours. This tactic breaks their confidence and pushes them to transfer money.
Police said the arrested men were not the masterminds. They were ground workers, and most of them are poor or unemployed. Many are first-time offenders pulled in by the promise of quick money. Officers said several complaints linked to the group had already been filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The Crime Branch said further arrests are likely. The digital trail shows more people involved. Officers are now tracking the handlers who controlled the gang. They believe the masterminds operated from outside Delhi.
Police urged citizens to stay alert to digital arrest scams. They said no law-enforcement agency orders people to stay on video calls. They also do not demand bank transfers to prove innocence. The DCP said awareness is the strongest defence. He added that the case shows how quickly calls of this nature can turn into extortion.
Officers said the gang used fear, lies, and fake law enforcement identities to trap the victim for almost a full day.