4 held for posing as bank officials, targeting car owners in Delhi

Officials said, the accused used to put registration plate numbers of vehicles in the App and access details about them. Then, the victims were tracked, and either confined or assaulted to extort money

New Delhi Four people have been arrested for impersonating bank recovery agents and targeting car owners with pending EMIs on busy intersections, the Delhi Police said on Sunday.

Police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed at a northeast Delhi police station. (Photo for representation)

Following multiple raids at Delhi, and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) on Saturday, the four accused identified as Prince, Shivam, Teetu and Aakash (all single names), aged between 22 and 25 years, and residents of Noida and Baghpat in UP were apprehended from Shakurpur, northeast Delhi, the police added.

“During interrogation, the accused disclosed their involvement in multiple incidents and revealed that they were operating as fake recovery agents using a mobile app,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (east) Rajeev Kumar.

He said they used the App (that is used for tracking vehicles with pending EMIs for bank recovery agents and businesses) to identify vehicles with pending EMIs. “They also used a white Brezza car without number plate in the act, impersonating bank recovery agents to gain compliance,” the DCP added.

Officials said, the accused used to put registration plate numbers of vehicles in the App and access details about them such as pending EMIs. Then, the victims were tracked, and either confined or assaulted to extort money.

The matter came to light on Thursday after a person, Keshav Kumar, reported to police about being wrongfully restrained by some occupants of a white Brezza at Vikas Marg, ITO side. He said they stopped him on the roadside, assaulted him, and then made him pay ₹18,000 online.

Officials said the police registered an FIR based on that complaint filed at a northeast Delhi police station and teams were sent to identify the accused. With the help of technical surveillance of a few suspects seen on CCTV cameras and local informers, it was found that the suspects were from Baghpat.

“Our informers said the accused were running an organised racket, targeting vehicles at busy intersections. They had done it at ITO, and Anand Vihar…We also analysed dump data and found the suspects were there on the spot,” said a senior police officer.

Investigation is underway to identify other victims, and for tracing the accused persons’ associates, who facilitated financial transactions, the officer added.

Police said the accused, booked under 140(3)/308(5)/3(5) sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to kidnapping, extortion,and common act respectively, were found to have no previous involvement in any criminal case.

Officials said they are also looking into the app which helped the accused, and have sent a notice for them to join probe.