Delhi Police has arrested two men for allegedly facilitating a mule bank account used in a scholarship fraud targeting families in Tamil Nadu, with investigators recovering a database containing details of around 54,000 contacts from one accused’s mobile phone.
The case began after Muthu Kumar, a Tamil Nadu resident, was allegedly promised a higher education scholarship and induced to transfer Rs 17,989 on September 1. He later reported the fraud through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, according to DCP (East) Rajeev Kumar.
The money trail led investigators to a bank account from which the amount was withdrawn through an ATM in east Delhi. An FIR was subsequently registered at the Cyber Police Station, East, the police said.
Bank records and CCTV footage from the ATM helped police identify Sachin Sharma, 29, a resident of Khichripur. Investigators said the bank account belonged to Sharma’s sister, Shivani, who told them that she had given him her ATM card. Sharma was arrested on October 17.
According to police, Sharma told investigators that he had provided the ATM card and UPI credentials to Sumit, a resident of Trilokpuri, in exchange for a commission. Police said Sharma allegedly withdrew Rs 10,000, transferred Rs 8,000 through UPI and received Rs 3,000 as commission. He allegedly claimed that he did not know the money was connected to cyber fraud.
Acting on Sharma’s disclosure, police arrested Sumit on October 21 and recovered a mobile phone from him. The device allegedly contained files with details of approximately 54,000 contacts, including the complainant’s information.
Investigators said the contact databases had been sent to Sumit through WhatsApp by a woman on August 6. During questioning, Sumit allegedly told police that the group targeted Tamil-speaking families whose children had completed school and were seeking higher education. Scholarship offers were allegedly used as the bait to persuade victims to make payments.
Police said Sumit had allegedly been instructed to print the database and arrange a bank account to receive the proceeds. The money was then allegedly handed over to the woman and one of her associates. Investigators said Sharma, a BCom graduate, and Sumit, a Class XII pass-out, were paid commissions for their roles.
The arrests show how the reported fraud linked a victim in Tamil Nadu to bank and payment activity in east Delhi, with the investigation relying on the cybercrime reporting system, transaction records, ATM surveillance and digital-device evidence. The police have not yet identified or arrested the woman and her associates, whom investigators described as the suspected organisers of the operation.
Delhi Police advised citizens to verify scholarship offers before making payments. It also asked people to report cyber fraud through helpline 1930 or the cybercrime.gov.in portal. Efforts to trace the remaining accused and recover further data are continuing.
