In a major breakthrough against an international cyber fraud network, Delhi Police have apprehended two suspects with alleged connections to China for swindling a retired Indian Army colonel out of ₹41.45 lakh. The operation, which involved deceitful digital gold trading schemes, took place in southwest Delhi following an in-depth investigation that traced the fraudulent activity to a hotel in Ahmedabad.
The arrested individuals, Indra Kumar Sahani and Rahim Khan, are accused of orchestrating a complex fraud operation involving multiple layers of deceit, including the use of mule bank accounts and sophisticated remote access tools. The Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Southwest district, Surendra Choudhary, noted that Khan maintained contact with Chinese nationals through messaging applications, managing the operations by bringing together account holders in hotel rooms across Ahmedabad.
In this intricate setup, recruits would have their devices and SIM cards linked to various bank accounts utilized for fraudulent transfers. Scammers located abroad were able to access these accounts remotely through specifically installed applications, which enabled the smooth movement of funds while avoiding detection by Indian authorities.
The scheme came to light when the retired colonel, residing in Vasant Kunj, lodged a complaint after being approached on social media. He was drawn into investing in a fraudulent online platform that claimed to offer high returns from gold trading in US dollars. After witnessing what appeared to be significant profits in his account, he ultimately invested ₹41.45 lakh. However, when he tried to withdraw the promised ₹1 crore in returns, he was asked to pay an additional ₹31.5 lakh as tax, raising suspicions that led him to report the matter to the police.
A police team conducted digital forensics and surveillance, leading to a raid at the hotel in Ahmedabad, where they arrested Sahani and seized three smartphones containing critical evidence. Interrogation of Sahani subsequently led to the arrest of Rahim Khan, along with the recovery of two more devices.
Further investigation revealed that Sahani had initially opened a personal bank account but went on to create nine additional current accounts, which he sold to the syndicate for a commission. It was discovered that the fraudulently acquired funds were converted into USDT cryptocurrency and transferred abroad to evade detection and enforcement efforts.
Authorities indicate that this case has exposed a broader cyber fraud network with international connections, prompting ongoing inquiries to identify additional victims and accomplices involved in the scheme.
