The Delhi Police have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate that extorted over Rs8.1 lakh from a family by impersonating officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Four members of the gang have been arrested.
The victim, a 45-year-old woman residing in Lahori Gate, filed a complaint through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) after enduring two days of terror under what police are calling a “digital arrest.”
The ordeal began on March 5, 2025, when she received a call from someone claiming to be from the Telecom Department, accusing her of using a fake SIM card. The scam quickly escalated with continuous video calls from numbers impersonating ED and CBI officers, who accused her of money laundering and threatened arrest.
To appear credible, the fraudsters sent forged documents bearing fake seals and logos of the Supreme Court, CBI, and ED. In a state of fear, the woman, her daughter, and elderly father remained on live video calls for 48 hours, eventually transferring Rs8.1 lakh to the scammers’ bank accounts.
Police traced the money trail and phone records, leading to arrests during raids in Zamrudpur, East of Kailash, and Greater Kailash. The arrested accused include:
Raja Mandal (27) – A former food delivery agent whose account received the extorted money
Tushar Thapa (23) – An account provider from Ambedkar Nagar
Saurabh Tiwari (23) – Associate of Thapa
Anup Kumar Tiwari (23) – A cab driver arrested in a second raid from New Moti Bagh
Investigations revealed a detailed operation using fake SIM cards, forged documents, and recruited individuals to open mule bank accounts. One suspect, Anup Tiwari, admitted to receiving Rs18 lakh in illicit funds.
During the RK Puram raid, two suspects fled, abandoning their SUV which was later seized. Police say efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate are ongoing.
