A Gurudwara sewadar was allegedly cheated out of more than ₹14.6 lakh by a cyber-fraud gang that used obscene video recordings, fake police threats and blackmail to extort money. Police have arrested four accused, including Imran Khan, in connection with the case and identified suspected links to 15 cyber-fraud complaints across different states.

According to the complaint, the victim received an obscene video on WhatsApp before individuals posing as Gurugram Police officers and YouTube representatives allegedly contacted him. They threatened him with arrest and demanded money to remove the video from social media platforms and clear his name from a purported FIR.

Fearing legal action and public humiliation, the victim transferred ₹14,63,999.19 from his own and his nephew’s bank accounts through multiple transactions between September 11 and September 27, 2025. He approached the cyber police after discussing the matter with a relative and realising he had been cheated.

Fake Video Calls Used to Blackmail Victims
Investigators suspect that the accused operated an organised sextortion racket in which different members handled victim identification, video calls, impersonation and money transfers.

According to the police investigation, the gang allegedly used an application called Friends Search to identify potential targets by entering mobile numbers associated with particular cities or areas.

The accused allegedly contacted victims through WhatsApp video calls. Police said a pre-recorded obscene video was played on a separate mobile phone positioned behind the device used for the call, creating the impression of a live video interaction.

The calls were allegedly recorded and later used to blackmail victims. Another accused, identified as Yasir, allegedly impersonated a police officer and a YouTube representative, claiming that a criminal case had been registered and the video circulated online.

Victims were reportedly threatened with arrest, legal action and public embarrassment before being pressured into transferring money.

Police Trace Money Through Multiple Bank Accounts
During the financial investigation, police traced portions of the allegedly defrauded money through several bank accounts suspected of being used to receive and transfer the proceeds.

Investigators found that ₹1,80,499 had been transferred to an account held by Ankit Sain, a resident of Alwar, Rajasthan. Two other transfers, amounting to ₹2.22 lakh and ₹2.20 lakh, were traced to separate accounts held by Mohd. Shariq Khan, a resident of Ludhiana, Punjab.

An additional ₹1 lakh was traced to an account held by Tasleem Raja, also from Ludhiana, while another ₹50,000 was transferred to a different bank account.

Police are investigating the roles of the account holders and other individuals suspected of facilitating the movement of the money.

Fifteen Cyber-Fraud Complaints Linked to Suspected Accounts
Technical analysis of call records, mobile device identifiers, IP logs and financial transactions helped investigators identify suspected locations in Kaltariya village and nearby areas of Rajasthan’s Deeg district, within the wider Mewat region.

Police analysed approximately 100 suspected mobile numbers and their associated IMEI details. The numbers used to contact the complainant were also traced to locations around Kaltariya.

Investigators have linked 15 cyber-fraud complaints from different states to the suspected beneficiary bank accounts. Transactions exceeding ₹1 crore have been detected in the identified accounts. Police clarified that this figure represents cumulative debit and credit transactions and does not necessarily reflect the total amount stolen.

The investigation is ongoing, with police working to identify additional victims, trace other suspects and examine further bank accounts allegedly connected to the racket.