Delhi Police bust Rs 300 crore cyber fraud network, mastermind held at Kolkata airport

Delhi Police have busted a massive international cyber fraud syndicate linked to scams worth more than Rs 300 crore , arresting its alleged mastermind along with 10 others , officials said on Sunday. Investigators say the network is connected to over 2,500 cybercrime complaints registered across the country.

The prime accused, Karan Kajaria , was intercepted at Kolkata airport on April 3 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him. He was brought to Delhi the following day for further questioning. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam , Kajaria allegedly coordinated between Indian operatives and foreign cybercrime groups, particularly in Cambodia .

The case first surfaced after a Delhi resident, Sultan, complained that he had been cheated of Rs 31.45 lakh through an online investment scam. The victim was convinced to download a fake trading application that promised unusually high returns. When he later tried to withdraw his profits, the app stopped functioning and the fraudsters became unreachable.

Investigators discovered that the syndicate used a complex system to run the operation. Fraudsters created fake investment platforms and messaging groups to attract victims and persuaded them to transfer money through mule bank accounts arranged by intermediaries .

Police have so far identified more than 260 bank accounts linked to over 100 shell companies used to move the fraudulent funds. Authorities say Kajaria also helped route the money through cryptocurrency channels , making it harder for investigators to trace the trail.

During the crackdown, police recovered 48 mobile phones, 258 SIM cards, multiple ATM cards, cheque books, four laptops, and several KYC documents . Officials also confirmed that Rs 19 lakh has been frozen so far.

According to investigators, the syndicate had been active for four to five years , operating across multiple states and targeting victims through digital investment scams. With 11 arrests made so far , police said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and track additional financial trails.