Delhi digital arrest probe reveals complex trail of pan-India ops

Fraudsters stole ₹7 crore from a 70-year-old woman using over 2,000 mule accounts, complicating the investigation for Delhi police.

New Delhi

Fraudsters diverted ₹7 crore they robbed from through over 2,000 mule accounts in transactions of ₹100-200. (Representative photo)

A probe into the digital arrest of a 70-year-old Greater Kailash-1 resident revealed that the fraudsters diverted ₹7 crore they robbed from the woman through over 2,000 mule accounts in transactions of ₹100-200 to evade detection by creating a complex money trail, officers aware of the investigation said on Friday.

Investigators said they were able to “hold/freeze” ₹2 crore on Thursday, but not anymore, as the accused have built a robust and complex web.

“We thought we would trace these accounts and get all money but the accused were quick. The transactions were made between January 9 and January 12. Our digital probe has revealed that the accused managed to send money in more than 2,000 accounts. We can’t possibly trace the trail now,” a senior officer from the Delhi Police headquarters said.

The officer said, “They created thousands of mule accounts just to cheat us further and make it difficult to reach them and the money…what’s more shocking is that after the fraud, they started transferring amounts as small as ₹100-200 to each of these mule accounts. Imagine thousands of accounts getting ₹100, ₹200, ₹500…it will be a task to reach the accused.”

The Special Cell, which is probing the case, said the 70-year-old woman, whose family runs a furniture business, first received a call from the fraudsters on January 5, asking her not to interact with anyone and directing her to stay in her house for at least nine days. According to the woman’s complaint, the accused posed as Enforcement Directorate officials and police, and claimed that a SIM card issued in her name was used for money laundering and other illegal activities.

Another senior police officer said, “On Wednesday morning, the woman received a fake court order which made her suspicious. She approached the police and we found three major transactions of ₹4 crore, ₹1.3 crore and ₹1.6 crore. During our probe, we found that these were received in three different accounts, based in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Rajasthan.”

The officer said, “This can’t be a two or three-person job. To create these many mule accounts is a task. Also, these accounts are based in more than seven states. We are looking at a pan-India operation.”

When asked if the digital fraud was connected to a December 2025 fraud, in which an NRI couple in GK-2 was duped of ₹14 crore, investigators said that the modus operandi was similar, but bank accounts differed.