Delhi Police Bust ₹5.24 Crore Cyber Money Laundering Racket, 9 Arrested

New Delhi: The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of Delhi Police has dismantled a well-organised cybercrime syndicate involved in large-scale money laundering, exposing suspicious transactions worth ₹5.24 crore. Nine individuals have been arrested after investigators found that more than 10,400 transactions were routed through bank accounts used exclusively for cyber fraud operations.

According to police officials, the accused were part of a structured network that facilitated the laundering of proceeds generated through cyber fraud by misusing bank accounts and routing funds via hawala channels. Investigations are ongoing to identify other associates, hawala operators, and suspected foreign-based masterminds linked to the operation. Experts note that such syndicates often exploit weak internal controls and poor to keep mule accounts operational without raising early red flags.

Cyber Fraud Syndicate Operated from Dwarka Hotel

IFSO Deputy Commissioner of Police Vineet Kumar said the case originated from a specific intelligence input received on November 26, indicating that a cybercrime network was being run from a hotel in Dwarka. Acting on the information, a police team conducted a raid at the hotel and apprehended four suspects from a single room.

The arrested individuals were identified as Sultan Saleem Sheikh from Palghar in Maharashtra, Syed Ahmed Chaudhary from Bengaluru, Tushar Malia from Shahdara in Delhi, and Satish Kumar from Thane in Maharashtra. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they were staying together at the hotel while providing bank accounts for cyber fraud operations.

25% Commission and Mobile Phone as Incentive

During questioning, prime accused Sultan Saleem Sheikh disclosed that he had opened a current account with Axis Bank at the behest of another associate. In return, he was promised a 25% commission on fraudulent transactions routed through the account. As an added incentive, he was also provided with a new Motorola mobile phone.

Sheikh further stated that transaction details were shared with him via email by his son, while real-time banking alerts were received on his mobile phone. Police scrutiny of bank records revealed that the account was opened with an initial deposit of ₹25,421.

₹5.24 Crore Routed Through Single Account in Five Days

Investigators found that between November 21 and November 26, the bank account was used to conduct 10,423 transactions, amounting to over ₹5.24 crore. Officials confirmed that the account had no legitimate business activity and was used solely to channel funds obtained through cyber fraud.

Police sources said the volume and frequency of transactions clearly indicated systematic laundering of illicit proceeds rather than isolated financial misuse.

Network Expanded, Five More Arrested

Based on leads obtained from the initial arrests, a special team was constituted under the supervision of ACP Udham Singh and led by Inspector Devender Singh. Subsequent operations led to the arrest of five more members of the syndicate.

The additional accused were identified as Shivam from Jharoda Kalan in Delhi, Sunil from Begumpur in Delhi, Prabhu Dayal from Didwana in Rajasthan, Tarun Sharma from Sikar in Rajasthan, and Suresh Kumar Kumawat from Nagaur in Rajasthan.

Organised Cybercrime Module Uncovered

Investigations revealed that the accused were part of an organised cybercrime syndicate operating through a layered structure involving account holders, intermediaries, and end-users. Middlemen procured bank accounts from individuals on a commission basis and supplied them to cyber fraud operators.

Police said Sultan had provided a bank account linked to his trust, which was later transferred through intermediaries to Suresh Kumar, a key operative within the syndicate. Suresh acted as a crucial link between account providers and the principal cyber fraud controllers.

Hawala and Crypto Used for Two-Way Money Movement

According to investigators, the syndicate employed a dual-channel laundering mechanism involving formal banking routes and hawala networks. Funds obtained through cyber fraud were withdrawn in cash and handed over to hawala agents, while settlements were carried out through cryptocurrency transactions.

Delhi Police officials said the bust marks a significant success in the fight against cyber money laundering in the capital. Further investigation is underway to trace the ultimate beneficiaries and dismantle the broader network behind the fraud.