Delhi Police bust sextortion gang, arrest 3 from Faridabad in ₹5.80 lakh fraud
Synopsis
Three young men from Faridabad have been arrested for running a sextortion scheme that squeezed ₹5.80 lakh out of a Delhi resident through fake WhatsApp video calls and impersonation of police officers. Crucially, interrogation has pointed investigators toward a well-organised sextortion syndicate in Rajasthan's Mewat region — raising the stakes well beyond a single case.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police arrested three youths — Rajesh (18) , Kunal (22) , and Imran (23) — all from Faridabad, Haryana , for sextortion-based cyber fraud.
Tripathi of Ganga Vihar, Delhi , was extorted of approximately ₹5.80 lakh via bank transfers, UPI, and QR codes.
The fraud began on 6 May with a fake WhatsApp video call; callers later posed as police and government officials to threaten the victim.
The accused disclosed links to a sextortion syndicate reportedly operating from the Mewat region of Rajasthan .
A mobile phone and SIM card used in the crime were recovered; no prior criminal record found for any of the three accused.
Further investigation is underway under Sections 308, 318(4), 319, and 340 BNS .
The Delhi Police cyber cell has arrested three youths from Faridabad, Haryana, in connection with a sextortion-based cyber fraud that extorted approximately ₹5.80 lakh from a Delhi resident, officials confirmed on Sunday, 19 July 2026. The case, registered under e-FIR No. 00126/2026, was cracked by the Cyber Police Station of Delhi's north-east district.
How the Fraud Unfolded
The complainant, K.L. Tripathi, a resident of Ganga Vihar, Delhi, reported that on 6 May he received a WhatsApp video call from an unknown woman who impersonated one of his social media contacts. The caller lured him into removing his clothes during the conversation and covertly recorded the footage.
Following the call, Tripathi was subjected to sustained intimidation from multiple unknown numbers. The callers posed as police officers, social media platform officials, and government authorities, threatening to circulate the video and implicate him in legal proceedings unless he paid up. Under mounting pressure, he transferred approximately ₹5.80 lakh across multiple instalments through various bank accounts, UPI IDs, and QR codes.
The Accused and Their Roles
The three arrested individuals have been identified as Rajesh (18), Kunal (22), and Imran (23) — all residents of Faridabad, Haryana. Investigators traced a portion of the extorted funds to mule bank accounts linked to Rajesh and Kunal.
Rajesh was the first to be arrested on 17 June. A detailed financial trail analysis led investigators to Kunal, who was subsequently apprehended. Based on disclosures made during interrogation, the third accused, Imran, was identified as the individual responsible for withdrawing the extorted cash from ATMs and was also arrested. A mobile phone and a SIM card used in the commission of the crime were recovered from Imran. Investigators have found no prior criminal record for any of the three.
Mewat Syndicate Link Emerges
During sustained interrogation, the accused disclosed links to a well-organised sextortion syndicate reportedly operating from the Mewat region of Rajasthan. This is consistent with a broader pattern flagged by multiple state police forces — the Mewat belt has been identified in earlier investigations as a hub for organised cyber fraud, including sextortion operations targeting victims across India.
Investigation Team and Next Steps
The breakthrough was achieved by a dedicated team led by Inspector Rahul Kumar, Station House Officer (SHO) of the Cyber unit, comprising Sub Inspector Mohit, ASI Manoj, Head Constable Sandeep, Constable Kapil, and Constable Abhishek. The case was registered under Sections 308, 318(4), 319, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway, with authorities likely probing the wider syndicate network.
Point of View
Yet coordinated inter-state crackdowns on the syndicate level remain rare. Arresting the foot soldiers who operate mule accounts and ATM withdrawals is necessary but insufficient; the architects of these networks rarely face prosecution. The ₹5.80 lakh loss also likely understates the true harm — victims of sextortion routinely under-report or delay reporting out of shame, meaning the actual scale of such syndicates is almost certainly larger than case files suggest.
NationPress
19 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Delhi sextortion case involving ₹5.80 lakh?
It is a cyber fraud case in which a Delhi resident, K.L. Tripathi of Ganga Vihar, was extorted of approximately ₹5.80 lakh after being lured into a compromising WhatsApp video call by an unknown woman who secretly recorded the footage. The callers then posed as police and government officials to threaten him into paying.
Who has been arrested in the Delhi sextortion case?
Three youths — Rajesh (18), Kunal (22), and Imran (23), all residents of Faridabad, Haryana — have been arrested. Rajesh and Kunal were linked to mule bank accounts used to receive the extorted funds, while Imran was responsible for withdrawing cash from ATMs.
What is the Mewat sextortion syndicate?
During interrogation, the three accused reportedly disclosed involvement of a well-organised sextortion syndicate operating from the Mewat region of Rajasthan. Mewat has been flagged in multiple earlier investigations as a base for organised cyber fraud targeting victims across India.
What laws have been invoked in this sextortion case?
The case was registered under Sections 308, 318(4), 319, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which cover cheating, fraud, and related offences. Further investigation is ongoing.
How can victims of sextortion report such cases in Delhi?
Victims can approach the nearest Cyber Police Station or file an e-FIR through the Delhi Police portal. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) also accepts complaints. Prompt reporting improves the chances of tracing financial transactions before funds are withdrawn.
