New Delhi: Four individuals have been apprehended in two distinct cyber fraud cases across the city, police officials confirmed on Tuesday.
First Case: Fake Female Spiritual Gurus
In the first case, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) student and an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) diesel mechanic were arrested for allegedly impersonating female spiritual gurus on social media platforms. They deceived victims by offering tantra vidhya, rituals, and remedies for love and family problems.
The scam came to light after a resident of central Delhi filed a complaint stating that he had been duped of Rs 2.5 lakh after being emotionally manipulated under the pretext of performing spiritual rituals. A case was registered under Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“The team conducted technical analysis of numbers, social media accounts, login sessions, IP details and digital footprints left by the accused,” said DCP (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh. “Financial transaction trails were also examined.”
Through meticulous investigation, the accused were traced to a flat in Mohali, Punjab. The two individuals arrested were identified as Ganesh, a 21-year-old BA fourth-semester student, and Mandeep Singh, also 21, who has completed an ITI in diesel engine mechanics along with a BA degree. Analysis of their data revealed that they had been interacting with over 2,000 people from across the country.
Second Case: Phone Hacking via Software Updates
In another case, police arrested two alleged cyber fraud masterminds from Madgaon, Goa, for hacking phones through software updates and accessing UPI apps to siphon off money. According to the cops, a complaint was received about the alleged cheating of Rs 1.5 lakh during an automatic software update.
“Through digital and financial trails, it was discovered that Rs 98,000 of the stolen money had been settled at a laptop service station in Vasco, South Goa,” said DCP (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami.
Police found that the accused were operating a structured cash-conversion racket. They received fraudulent online payment entries, and upon confirmation of the digital transfer, they would hand over an equivalent amount in physical cash after deducting a commission.
The accused were identified as Arjun Lal Yadav (29) and Deependra Mahala (25), both arrested in Madgaon. During interrogation, they revealed that after converting the digital fraud money into cash via commercial establishments in Goa, the currency was routed back to senior syndicate handlers pulling the strings from Rajasthan.
