The Delhi Police have arrested Abhishek Oberai (37), the alleged mastermind behind a nationwide scam that defrauded small incense stick manufacturers by posing as a supplier of raw materials that were never delivered.
Oberai, a Class 1 dropout from a financially challenged background, reportedly used fake profiles on Facebook to offer bamboo sticks and other essential supplies at attractive prices. Victims, eager for affordable raw materials, were tricked into transferring advance payments, only for Oberai to cut off contact, frequently changing SIM cards and bank accounts to avoid detection.
“His basic understanding of commercial transactions helped him build credibility before cheating victims,” said DCP Nidhin Valsan, adding that Oberai had previously worked as a delivery assistant before turning to fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The breakthrough came after Sujeet Kumar Jha, a Delhi-based entrepreneur, filed a complaint in July 2023 alleging that he was cheated of Rs21,060 by someone posing as Harsh Singh Vedi, a fake identity used by Oberai. The accused had also used forged documents to build trust and delay suspicion.
A raid in Budh Vihar on May 12 led to Oberai’s arrest. Authorities recovered:
3 mobile phones
6 SIM cards
35 bank cards
33 cheque books
17 passbooks
3 forged stamps
A mobile printer used to create fake documents
Police have linked Oberai to at least 24 similar cases registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Cyber units in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are now working with Delhi Police to uncover additional victims and possible collaborators.
