Fake tantrik held in Delhi: 79-year-old duped of ₹39 lakh, jewellery
Synopsis
A man posing as a tantrik allegedly staged occult rituals to drug a 79-year-old Delhi resident, steal ₹15 lakh in gold jewellery, and extract ₹39.30 lakh in cash and UPI payments. The main accused, unmasked as Tahsin of Muzaffarnagar, used fake identity documents and a hired SUV — signalling a well-organised, premeditated operation.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police arrested three men — Tahsin (main accused), Shoaib Ali , and Mahakader Khan — for allegedly defrauding a 79-year-old Delhi resident.
The complainant, Girijesh Singh , allegedly lost ₹39.30 lakh in cash and UPI payments plus gold jewellery worth ₹15 lakh .
The accused posed as 'Krishna Pandit' and used staged rituals, fake gold biscuits, and an alleged sedative to execute the fraud.
Police recovered a Mahindra Scorpio-N , ₹2.73 lakh cash, 11 rings , fake Aadhaar cards, and ritual clothing.
Case registered at Seemapuri police station as FIR No.
622/2026 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) .
Investigation ongoing to trace money flows, identify beneficiaries, and determine whether other victims exist.
Delhi Police's Special Staff of Shahdara district has arrested a man posing as a tantrik and two associates for allegedly cheating a 79-year-old man of approximately ₹39.30 lakh and stealing gold jewellery worth around ₹15 lakh from his residence. The arrests were confirmed on Thursday, 15 October 2026.
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
According to the police complaint filed by Girijesh Singh, 79, the accused first won his trust by displaying a genuine gold coin and promising to extract buried ancestral gold using occult rituals. They subsequently induced him to pay approximately ₹39.30 lakh through a combination of cash and UPI transactions.
During the intervening night of 4 August, the accused reportedly staged an elaborate ritual at the complainant's residence, using steel pots filled with soil and fake gold biscuits. Singh alleged he was administered a sedative and rendered unconscious. When he regained consciousness, gold jewellery worth approximately ₹15 lakh was missing from his cupboard.
Who Was Arrested
The main accused, who had posed as 'Krishna Pandit', was traced to Amba Vihar in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and identified as Tahsin, 48. His two associates — Shoaib Ali, 40, a resident of Mayur Vihar in Dasna, Uttar Pradesh, and Mahakader Khan, 48, of Dabagram Salboni, West Bengal — were also arrested. The duo had introduced the complainant to Tahsin and reportedly facilitated the subsequent financial transactions.
What Police Recovered
Investigators seized a black Mahindra Scorpio-N, ₹2.73 lakh in cash, 11 rings, clothes used during the staged rituals, two Aadhaar cards in the names of Tahsin and Krishna Sharma, a PAN card, an ATM card, and two mobile phones. A case was registered at Seemapuri police station under FIR No. 622/2026 under Sections 318(4), 305, 123 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Investigation Team and Next Steps
A dedicated investigation team was constituted under Inspector Ashish Kumar, in-charge of Special Staff, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Pavan Kumar and the overall oversight of DCP Shahdara R.P. Meena. Police stated that further investigation is underway to establish the individual roles of the accused, trace money transferred through various accounts and payment modes, identify beneficiaries, and determine whether additional persons were involved in the alleged crime.
This case follows a pattern of tantrik-fraud crimes targeting elderly residents in Delhi — investigators are working to establish whether the accused operated similar schemes elsewhere.
Point of View
Staged rituals, sedation, and theft that exploits both superstition and the social isolation of the elderly. What stands out here is the operational sophistication: a cross-state network (Delhi, UP, West Bengal), fake identity documents in multiple names, and a luxury SUV used as a prop of credibility. Police should investigate whether this gang ran similar schemes across other districts. More broadly, the ₹39.30 lakh extracted through UPI underscores that digital payment trails exist — the real accountability test is whether investigators can recover and return those funds to the victim.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the accused in the Delhi fake tantrik fraud case?
The three accused are Tahsin, 48 (who posed as 'Krishna Pandit'), Shoaib Ali, 40, of Dasna, Uttar Pradesh, and Mahakader Khan, 48, of Dabagram Salboni, West Bengal. Tahsin was the main accused who conducted the staged rituals, while the other two facilitated introductions and financial transactions.
How did the fake tantrik fraud in Delhi unfold?
The accused won the trust of 79-year-old Girijesh Singh by showing him a genuine gold coin and promising to extract buried ancestral gold through occult rituals. They extracted approximately ₹39.30 lakh via cash and UPI payments, then allegedly sedated Singh and stole gold jewellery worth ₹15 lakh from his home during the night of 4 August.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A case was registered at Seemapuri police station under FIR No. 622/2026, invoking Sections 318(4), 305, 123, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges relate to cheating, criminal conspiracy, and related offences.
What items did Delhi Police recover from the accused?
Police recovered a black Mahindra Scorpio-N, ₹2.73 lakh in cash, 11 rings, tantrik ritual clothes, two Aadhaar cards in the names of Tahsin and Krishna Sharma, a PAN card, an ATM card, and two mobile phones.
Is the investigation still ongoing?
Yes. Delhi Police stated that further investigation is underway to trace money transferred through various accounts and payment modes, establish individual roles of the accused, identify beneficiaries, and determine whether additional persons were involved in the alleged crime.
