A 25-year-old chef has been arrested for allegedly assisting a cyber fraud network in cheating a Delhi resident of more than Rs17 lakh through fake work-from-home schemes, police said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Pathan Uzef Khalil Khan, is a resident of Ambad town in Maharashtra’s Jalna district. He was apprehended by Delhi Police and brought to the national capital on transit remand.
The case surfaced after Rahul Saini, a resident of Keshav Puram, filed an online complaint stating that he had been duped of Rs17,16,777. According to police, Saini was lured by cyber fraudsters who promised high returns through paid online tasks under a work-from-home arrangement.
Following the complaint, a case was registered on January 1 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigators traced the money trail by analysing banking records, digital footprints, and social media connections linked to the fraud.
Police said the defrauded amount was credited to a bank account allegedly operated by Khan and later withdrawn using self-cheques. Technical surveillance and mobile location analysis led the police team to Ambad, where the accused was tracked and arrested.
“Khan played a key role in liquidating the proceeds of crime,” a senior police officer said, adding that a mobile phone used in the offence has been seized.
During interrogation, Khan allegedly confessed that he joined the fraud racket to meet financial needs and maintain an extravagant lifestyle. He reportedly helped withdraw and circulate stolen funds through multiple mule accounts to create layers and evade detection. Police also revealed that he frequently changed mobile numbers to avoid being traced.
Khan, who has studied up to Class 12 and works as a chef at a private hotel, is being questioned further to determine his involvement in other cyber fraud cases and to identify additional members of the network. Further investigation is underway.
