Two men, Neeraj alias Raju (23) and his accomplice Karan alias Rahul, have been arrested for their involvement in a large-scale currency exchange scam that defrauded victims across six states. The duo was apprehended in Ghaziabad after a coordinated operation by the Delhi Police Crime Branch.
According to police officials, the suspects used a cunning scheme to target their victims. They would display genuine US dollars to establish trust and lure individuals into exchanging currency. However, during the transaction, the scammers would secretly replace the real US dollars with bags filled with worthless paper, fleeing the scene with the victim’s Indian currency.
The scam operation spanned multiple states, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Recently, the duo is said to have swindled Rs 1 lakh from an elderly man and Rs 2 lakh from another victim in Sonia Vihar, Delhi.
“The gang was highly mobile and carried out their fraud in various regions,” said DCP Vikram Singh of the Crime Branch. “They would destroy their disposable phones and SIM cards to avoid being tracked.” The police also revealed that in September, the gang carried out a similar scam near Ratlam railway station in Madhya Pradesh, making off with Rs 1.5 lakh.
Both Neeraj and Karan are habitual offenders with multiple criminal records. Neeraj has six cases registered against him, including charges under the NDPS Act, robbery, and the Arms Act, while Karan has four cases, including burglary and arms-related offenses.
The investigation, led by Inspector Gurmeet Singh, revealed that the gang would initially visit shops to make purchases with real US dollars to build credibility. They would then inquire about currency exchange and target individuals interested in such transactions, using fake SIM cards to avoid identification.
