In a significant breakthrough, the Delhi Police cyber cell has solved a cheating and sextortion case involving around Rs 5.80 lakh and arrested three youths, officials said on Sunday.
An official statement said that the Cyber Police Station of the national capital's north-east district solved the case registered vide e-FIR No. 00126/2026 under Sections 308/318(4)/319/340 BNS, by arresting three accused persons for their involvement in a sextortion-based cyber fraud.
The arrested accused have been identified as 18-year-old Rajesh, 22-year-old Kunal and 23-year-old Imran. All of them are residents of Haryana's Faridabad.
According to the police, the complainant, K.L. Tripathi, a resident of Delhi's Ganga Vihar area, reported that on May 6, he received a WhatsApp video call from an unknown woman who impersonated one of his social media friends. She lured him into removing his clothes during the call and secretly recorded an obscene video.
Thereafter, Tripathi said that he continued to receive calls from various unknown numbers, with the callers posing as police officers, social media officials, and government authorities. They threatened to make the video viral, implicate him in legal proceedings, and have him arrested unless he paid money.
Under constant intimidation and fear, the complainant transferred approximately Rs 5.80 lakh in multiple instalments through different bank accounts, UPI IDs, and QR codes.
Upon realising that he had been duped, Tripathi approached the Cyber Police Station and lodged a complaint.
Officials said that subsequently, a dedicated team led by Inspector Rahul Kumar (SHO/Cyber), comprising Sub Inspector Mohit, ASI Manoj, Head Constable Sandeep, Constable Kapil, and Ct. Abhishek was formed, and they launched a meticulous financial and technical investigation.
The team traced a portion of the cheated amount to mule bank accounts belonging to accused Rajesh and Kunal.
The accused, Rajesh, was arrested on June 17. After further investigation and drawing a detailed analysis of the financial trail, another account holder, Kunal, was identified and arrested. Based on his disclosure, the third accused, Imran, who was involved in withdrawing the cheated money from ATMs, was also apprehended.
A mobile phone, along with a SIM card, used in the commission of the crime, was recovered from the third accused.
During sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed the involvement of a well-organised sextortion syndicate operating from the Mewat region of Rajasthan.
Investigators have not found any previous criminal involvement of any of the three arrested accused.
Further investigation in the case is underway.
--IANS
