Delhi Police busts fake-helpline fraud, 2 held

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a bank account and SIM card supplier and a mule account holder for their alleged involvement in a fraud case in which a complainant was duped of nearly Rs 13.85 lakh through a fake customer care number in east Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused have been identified as Umar Mukhtar (57), the mule account holder, and Aslam alias Baba alias Mohammad Sahir Kazmi (26), a mobile-repair shop owner who allegedly supplied bank accounts and SIM cards to organised cyber-fraud networks, they said.

The case was registered on July 15 at the Cyber police station in East district on a complaint from Kamla Pati Ram, a resident of Vasundhara Enclave. He reported that between July 10 and 12, he lost Rs 13,85,798 after he contacted a fake helpline number of an online-payment application found on an online search, the officials said.

The fraudsters, posing as executives of the online-payment application, allegedly tricked him into downloading a malicious application resembling the digital-payment platform, which allowed them to siphon off his money, a senior police officer said.

During investigation, police found that Rs 2 lakh of the defrauded money were credited to a bank account in the name of Mukhtar and withdrawn from an ATM in Jharkhand's Sahibganj. A special team was formed and it analysed technical surveillance and call-detail records before tracking down the suspects.

The accused were apprehended from Uttam Nagar in west Delhi on Tuesday.

During questioning, Mukhtar admitted that he had opened the bank account on the instructions of Aslam in return for money. Aslam, in turn, told police that he had been supplying such accounts and SIM cards to one Monu, who further passed those on to associates in Bihar running cyber-fraud networks.

Police said efforts are underway to trace Monu and others linked to the racket as well as to recover the cheated amount.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that both accused were motivated by greed and financial desperation. Aslam had established links with organised cyber criminals and acted as a conduit by arranging accounts and SIM cards. Mukhtar, who was unemployed, provided his account for use in exchange for cash," the officer said.

The arrests led to the seizure of Rs 1.9 lakh frozen in two bank accounts, six lien-marked accounts, a scooter, five mobile phones allegedly used in the fraud, two debit cards of other account holders, an Aadhaar card and 20 passport photos meant for opening more mule accounts, police said.

They said the accused are being interrogated further and efforts are on to nab their absconding associates. PTI SSJ RC