Delhi Police bust fake helicopter booking fraud, arrest 3 in interstate cyber racket
Synopsis
Delhi Police's South District Cyber unit cracked an interstate racket running fake IRCTC-branded helicopter booking sites that defrauded victims across India. Three accused — arrested from Bihar's Nalanda and Greater Noida — are linked to roughly 30 cybercrime complaints and nearly ₹10 lakh in losses, exposing how paid social media ads are fuelling organised travel fraud.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police busted a fake helicopter booking fraud syndicate, arresting three accused — Omprakash Kumar , Rohit Kumar , and Shreyansh Tiwari alias Shivam .
Fraudulent websites irctc-helicopter.com and irctc-heliyatra.com mimicked legitimate travel portals to deceive users.
The syndicate is linked to approximately 30 NCRP complaints across multiple states, with total alleged fraud of nearly ₹10 lakh .
Accused promoted fake portals via paid Meta (Facebook) advertisements targeting online travel searchers.
Police seized 8 mobile phones , 2 laptops , a 10th-generation iPad , and multiple ATM/debit cards; ₹20,328 marked as lien in a linked bank account.
Omprakash Kumar has a prior cyber fraud case from 2022 ; investigation is ongoing to identify further associates.
Delhi Police's Cyber Police Station, South District, has dismantled an organised interstate cyber fraud syndicate that operated fake online helicopter booking websites to swindle unsuspecting travellers. Three accused have been arrested and significant digital evidence, along with electronic devices, has been seized in the operation.
How the Fraud Operated
The racket came to light after a victim filed a complaint reporting a loss of ₹20,328 through fraudulent travel booking portals — irctc-helicopter.com and irctc-heliyatra.com — designed to closely mimic legitimate travel platforms. Victims searching online for helicopter bookings were redirected to these fake sites and induced into making payments.
After the initial payment, victims were pressured into making further transfers under fabricated pretexts such as processing refunds, booking confirmation, or registration charges. The proceeds were routed through mule bank accounts and digital payment channels to obscure the money trail.
The Investigation and Arrests
Based on the complaint, FIR No. 30/2026 dated 21 May was registered at PS Cyber South District under Sections 318(4), 61(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A dedicated team led by SHO/Cyber South Inspector Hansraj Swami and supervised by Additional DCP (Operations) Arvind Kumar conducted the probe.
Investigators analysed the money trail, bank account details, domain registration records, Gmail accounts, IP logs, and technical data sourced from service providers including Hostinger and Google. This led to the identification and arrest of Omprakash Kumar and Rohit Kumar from Nalanda, Bihar.
Interrogation of the two accused revealed the involvement of Shreyansh Tiwari alias Shivam, identified as the developer and manager of the fake websites, who was subsequently arrested from Greater Noida. The possible involvement of another associate, Anurag, a resident of Nalanda, is reportedly under verification.
Scale of the Racket
The syndicate promoted its fraudulent portals through paid advertisements on Meta (Facebook), targeting users searching for travel-related services. According to investigators, the digital network has been linked to approximately 30 complaints on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) across multiple states and Union Territories, with a total alleged cheating amount of nearly ₹10 lakh.
Notably, Omprakash Kumar has a prior criminal record — FIR No. 06/2022 under Sections 420/34 of the IPC at PS Cyber North-West Delhi. The other two accused have no previously reported criminal involvement.
Evidence Recovered
Police recovered eight mobile phones, two laptops, a 10th-generation iPad, and multiple ATM and debit cards allegedly used in the fraud. A sum of ₹20,328 has been marked as a lien in a bank account linked to the case. Digital evidence and electronic records are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Further investigation is underway to identify additional associates and fully dismantle the network.
Point of View
Arrests will remain reactive rather than preventive.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the fake helicopter booking websites used in the Delhi cyber fraud case?
The fake websites were irctc-helicopter.com and irctc-heliyatra.com, designed to closely resemble legitimate travel booking portals. Victims were lured through paid social media advertisements and induced to make payments for bookings that did not exist.
How many people were arrested and who are they?
Three people were arrested: Omprakash Kumar and Rohit Kumar from Nalanda, Bihar, and Shreyansh Tiwari alias Shivam from Greater Noida, who was identified as the developer and manager of the fake websites. A fourth associate, Anurag, is reportedly under verification.
How much money was allegedly defrauded in this cyber fraud case?
The syndicate is linked to approximately 30 complaints on the NCRP across multiple states and Union Territories, with a total alleged cheating amount of nearly ₹10 lakh. The initial complaint that triggered the case involved a loss of ₹20,328.
How did the fake travel booking fraud work?
Victims searching online for helicopter bookings were redirected to fraudulent websites via paid Meta (Facebook) advertisements. After an initial payment, they were pressured into further transfers under false pretexts such as refund processing or booking confirmation, with funds routed through mule accounts to conceal the trail.
What evidence did Delhi Police recover in the operation?
Police seized eight mobile phones, two laptops, a 10th-generation iPad, and multiple ATM and debit cards allegedly used in the fraud. A sum of ₹20,328 was marked as a lien in a linked bank account, and digital records from service providers including Hostinger and Google were also obtained.
