Delhi woman loses ₹71 lakh to 'digital arrest'; three held for providing mule accounts

Delhi woman loses ₹71 lakh to 'digital arrest'; three held for providing mule accounts

New Delhi, Three people, including two women, have been apprehended in connection with the 'digital arrest' of a woman who was allegedly threatened by an individual impersonating an IPS officer and cheated of ₹71 lakh, Delhi Police said on Sunday.

Delhi woman loses ₹71 lakh to 'digital arrest'; three held for providing mule accounts

The accused were arrested from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh following an investigation by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit, which also unearthed a network of mule bank accounts allegedly used to route proceeds of cyber frauds.

Police said the arrestees a 31-year-old woman, one Aman Soni and his 30-year-old sister were allegedly part of an organised cybercrime network and provided mule bank accounts to facilitate movement of cheated funds.

According to police, the victim received an internet-based video call from a person impersonating an IPS officer posted in Mumbai. The caller claimed that a credit card issued in her name was being used for money laundering involving transactions worth around ₹6.5 crore.

"The fraud threatened her with arrest and judicial custody and told her that she would have to transfer money for verification to avoid legal action," a senior police officer said.

Intimidated, the woman transferred ₹71 lakh through two bank transactions.

An e-FIR was registered in this connection at the Special Cell police station on October 8.

During investigation, an IFSO team traced the financial trail and identified several bank accounts allegedly used to receive and divert the cheated money, leading them to the accused.

Police found that around ₹15 lakh was allegedly withdrawn and distributed among the accused and their associates. A portion of the cheated money was also used to purchase expensive mobile phones, he said.

Three newly purchased mobile phones, allegedly bought using proceeds of cyber fraud, have been recovered from the accused.

Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network, trace the remaining cheated amount and establish the wider financial links of the accused, police said.

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