Digital Deception: Trio Nabbed for Defrauding Senior Citizen of Rs 25 Lakh

Three fraudsters were apprehended for allegedly swindling Rs 25 lakh from a senior citizen in Delhi after executing a sophisticated digital scam. The accused, posing as police personnel, coerced the victim into transferring his life savings under the pretense of a financial investigation.

In a digital deception case, three individuals were arrested by police for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen in Delhi of Rs 25 lakh. The accused, identified as Rahul Verma, Shantanu Richoriya, and Arjun Singh, are said to have executed an elaborate scheme, according to authorities.

The victim, Mahender Jain from Raj Nagar, Palam Colony, reported receiving a WhatsApp video call on March 21, 2025, from a person impersonating a police inspector. The caller falsely claimed that Jain's Aadhaar card was used to create a fraudulent credit/debit card linked to a money laundering operation allegedly by an airline owner.

Fearful of legal consequences, Jain transferred his entire savings to the fraudsters via Paytm and RTGS. The police, utilizing digital surveillance and money trail analysis, identified the fraudsters operating from hotels in Delhi and coordinating with 'mule' account holders. A raid in Paharganj led to the capture of the trio, along with the recovery of significant evidence. Investigations continue to track additional suspects.

(With inputs from agencies.)