Delhi Police Crack Down On Cybercrime, 8,300 Fraudsters Face Action

Last Updated:April 08, 2026, 21:12 IST

Delhi Police CyHawk 4.0 detains 8371, arrests over 1400 in major cyber fraud crackdown, exposes Rs 519 crore scams with global links, seizes key evidence and freezes funds

In one of its largest-ever crackdowns on cybercrime, the Delhi Police launched a massive, coordinated operation across the national capital, detaining thousands of suspects and uncovering fraud networks linked to scams worth over Rs 519 crore nationwide.

The operation, dubbed “CyHawk 4.0," involved simultaneous raids across multiple districts following a month-long intelligence-gathering effort conducted in collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Widespread Detentions And Arrests

Police detained 8,371 suspects for questioning during the operation. More than 1,400 individuals were either arrested or placed under preventive legal measures, while notices were issued to 2,203 people under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS).

Authorities registered 499 new First Information Reports (FIRs) and reported significant progress in 324 ongoing investigations. Additionally, 3,564 complaints from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) were linked to mule bank accounts used to channel fraudulent funds.

Major Fraud Network Exposed

Investigators uncovered a vast cyber fraud network involving mule bank accounts, fake call centres and agents facilitating scams such as fake job offers, “digital arrests," customer care fraud and tech support scams. Several illegal call centres were shut down during the raids.

Police seized a large volume of digital and physical evidence, including mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards, debit and credit cards, hard disks and financial records. Officials said the operation focused heavily on tracking money trails, identifying financial layering and mapping cybercrime hotspots.

High-Profile Case Involving Restaurant Chain

One of the key cases involved a mule bank account linked to a well-known food chain in Khan Market. Authorities said the account was used in a “digital arrest" scam involving approximately Rs 3.3 crore.

The account, held in the name of a business associated with the restaurant, allegedly received Rs 54 lakh from victims, which was then transferred through layered transactions. Directors Mohammad Saleem and Mohammad Javed are accused of sharing account details for a commission of 2% to 3%.

Mohammad Javed has been arrested, while Saleem has been placed under legal bond. Police have seized two mobile phones and SIM cards and are continuing efforts to trace other accused individuals and the broader money trail.

District-Wise Crackdown

The operation spanned multiple districts, uncovering several major fraud cases:

Outer North Delhi: Police dismantled a syndicate that defrauded victims of about Rs 2 crore through 18 bank accounts. The funds were converted into cryptocurrency (USDT) and transferred abroad, with links traced to Cambodia. Five suspects were arrested. In a separate case, a company account linked to 336 complaints involving Rs 16.59 crore was uncovered.

North-West Delhi: A “digital arrest" scam targeting a senior citizen resulted in a loss of Rs 8 lakh. Seven suspects were arrested.

Pune-linked case: Seven individuals were arrested in connection with a Rs 29 lakh fraud, with one caught withdrawing Rs 6.9 lakh.

Shahdara: A mobile hacking scam using malicious APK files defrauded victims of Rs 6.65 lakh. Two suspects with links to Cambodia and Thailand were arrested.

East and Preet Vihar: Police exposed a honeytrap gang targeting foreign nationals, involving Rs 31.5 lakh. In another case, Rs 56 lakh was lost in a stock market scam. Multiple arrests were made.

North District: An OLX scam involving fake mobile phone sales led to one arrest.

Outer District: Authorities busted an international fake loan call centre, arresting 19 people and seizing 36 mobile phones.

Dwarka: A nationwide fraud network involving Rs 67 crore was uncovered, with two arrests made and Rs 83 lakh frozen. Police recovered 109 chequebooks and documents linked to shell companies.

South-West Delhi: Cases included loan app-based extortion with links to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and an air ticket scam. Four suspects were arrested in each case, with Rs 47 lakh in cash and a luxury car seized.

South-East Delhi: Police solved multiple cases, including matrimonial fraud and bank account hacking. Several suspects were arrested and stolen funds were recovered.

South Delhi: Authorities cracked visa and job fraud cases involving fake documents, as well as a fraudulent health products call centre. Multiple arrests were made and a mastermind identified.

International Links and Cryptocurrency Use

Officials said many of the fraud networks relied on cryptocurrency to move funds overseas, complicating tracking efforts. Several cases revealed links to countries including Cambodia, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Ongoing Investigation

Police said the operation marks a significant step in dismantling organised cybercrime networks, but added that investigations are ongoing to trace remaining suspects and fully map financial flows.

“This operation has demonstrated that cybercriminal networks, whether domestic or international, are firmly on the radar of law enforcement," officials said.

Authorities emphasised that efforts will continue to identify and dismantle every link in these networks while strengthening mechanisms to prevent future cyber fraud.

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