The Delhi Police Metro unit has arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with a mobile phone theft case involving fraudulent Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions worth ₹1.20 lakh, a police official confirmed. The breakthrough came after a multi-layered cyber forensic investigation that tracked the accused across multiple locations in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

How the Investigation Unfolded

The case was registered under E-FIR No. 80019309/2026 under Section 303(2) BNS at the IGI Airport Metro Police Station. Investigators conducted a detailed end-to-end mapping of 11 suspicious UPI transactions, followed by the profiling and physical verification of beneficiaries. Analysis revealed rapid diversion of funds through multiple local merchant accounts, pointing to a structured and well-planned fraud network, according to officials.

The investigation combined advanced cyber forensic tools with ground intelligence from the outset. Using technical surveillance, police traced a key beneficiary identified as Neetu to Safidon. Her examination proved crucial in identifying the prime accused, Kushagra Ahuja.

Accused Used Evasive Tactics to Avoid Arrest

Ahuja reportedly had no fixed residence and continuously changed locations to evade detection. Despite this, police teams maintained continuous technical surveillance and conducted multiple raids at identified hotspots across Delhi and the NCR. The accused's high mobility made the pursuit particularly challenging, officials noted.

On 1 May 2026, specific intelligence indicated the presence of the accused near Kashmere Gate. Acting swiftly, police launched a focused operation combining dynamic surveillance and on-ground verification at ISBT Kashmere Gate, where Ahuja was successfully apprehended.

What Remains to Be Done

Officials said efforts are currently underway to recover the stolen mobile phone and trace the remaining financial trail to effect further recoveries in the case. The investigation into the broader fraud network is ongoing.

Significance of the Operation

This case underscores the growing threat of UPI-linked fraud following mobile device theft — a pattern increasingly reported across Indian cities. The Delhi Police Metro unit's use of cyber intelligence, technical surveillance, and coordinated field operations reflects a broader institutional push to counter technologically sophisticated financial crimes. Notably, this is among the first documented cases under the Metro unit where a structured merchant-account diversion network was mapped end-to-end using forensic tools.