NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested the kingpin of a gang of cyber cheats, who used to create fake websites of e-commerce platforms including BigBasket, DMart, and Blinkit and post lucrative offers to lure unsuspecting buyers and cheat them by stealing their credit card details.
The accused was identified as Shahrukh Akhtar, who was arrested from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. According to a senior Delhi Police officer, a complaint was received by the police in which the complainant alleged that while browsing Facebook, he encountered an enticing offer on BigBasket after which he clicked on the “Shop Now” tab and followed the instructions, only to later get defrauded of ` 98,000 which was debited from his credit card.
The police registered a case and began tracing the money trail and digital traces. “The analysis of financial transactions and electronic records unveiled a widespread operation spanning multiple states, organised into various tiers,” Deputy Commissioner of Police for Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) Hemant Tiwari said.
Financial scrutiny disclosed transactions exceeding `25–30 lakh in the implicated accounts, with more than 15 victims falling prey to the gang. During further investigation, two individuals — Sonam and Junaid Akhtar — were arrested on October 5. “Sonam revealed that, under Shahrukh Akhtar’s instructions, she tele-called innocent victims from a call centre in Raj Nagar Extension. She used fake mobile numbers, and all the SIM cards and bank accounts (where r e the defrauded money was deposited) were provided by the ringleader, Shahrukh,” the DCP said.
The other suspect, Junaid Akhtar, disclosed his role in furnishing bank accounts for money collection. He also withdrew cash through ATM cards, depositing it into the personal bank accounts of Shahrukh and his wife. Shahrukh Akhtar was also traced and arrested. The DCP said that Akhtar’s interrogation uncovered a multi-tiered racket operating from disparate locations in India. The investigation of the case is underway, and efforts are being made to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate.