Delhi Cyber Police have arrested several people in four cases involving mule bank accounts, unauthorised SIM cards and an APK-based fraud, linking the investigations to 125 complaints involving an estimated ₹1.59 crore in losses.
The cases were investigated by the Cyber Police Station of Delhi’s Outer North district. According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Lokesh Varan, the investigation found that around 70 mule bank accounts had been arranged for cyber-fraud operators, while 187 SIM cards were issued without the knowledge of the customers whose documents were used.
In the first case, police arrested 19-year-old Devendra alias Sachin. Investigators allege that he and his associate Mohit approached people in Shahbad Dairy with promises of insurance benefits and financial assistance, then helped open bank accounts in their names. The banking kits were subsequently sent to cyber-fraud operators in Hyderabad. Police said the accused received about 10% commission for the arrangements. Mohit has been identified and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in an Arms Act case.
The second investigation involved telecom dealer Atul, along with Sameer alias Sam and Pankaj. Police allege that Atul used customers’ photographs and identity documents to obtain additional SIM cards without their knowledge. The cards were later sold for approximately ₹1,500 each. Investigators said 187 such SIM cards were obtained through the operation.
In a third case, police arrested Sumit for allegedly selling three bank accounts to Vicky Chauhan for ₹20,000. Chauhan is being sought by the police. The accounts were allegedly intended for use in cyber fraud.
The fourth case led police to Jalandhar in Punjab, where Saurav was arrested. He is accused of sending an APK-based file to an MCD inspector as part of a cyber-fraud operation. Examination of his mobile phone allegedly revealed details of 29 bank accounts, 85 debit and credit cards, and 124 entries linked to 10 masked cards.
Police said transactions worth approximately ₹3.73 crore were carried out through online gold purchases, gift cards and credit-card payments in the Saurav case. Investigators are examining a 500-square-yard bakery factory and a car allegedly purchased using money connected to the transactions. Saurav also has eight previous cybercrime cases registered against him, according to the police.
The investigations resulted in the recovery of eight mobile phones, eight ATM cards, seven chequebooks, two bank passbooks, a point-of-sale machine, ₹10,030 in cash and a motorcycle. Police said the wider network has links across Delhi, Hyderabad, Jamtara, Gujarat and Punjab.
The cases highlight how cyber-fraud operations rely on ordinary banking and telecom services to create layers between victims and the people controlling the transactions. The police investigation is continuing, including efforts to identify other members of the network and trace the financial flows linked to the accounts and SIM cards.
