Archive · 10 Aug 2026
88-Year-Old's Stolen Phone Leads Delhi Police to Interstate Fraud
An 88-year-old man in Delhi had his mobile phone stolen.
When he got a new SIM card, he discovered that money had been taken out of his bank account.
Police started investigating and found a big network of people who steal phones and use them to steal money.
The network had different teams working in different cities.
One team in Jaipur used stolen phone information to get into people's bank accounts, working from a small office that looked like a call centre.
Another team in Meerut and Ghaziabad supplied fake bank accounts, cards and SIM cards to help move the money.
Police arrested nine people and found many phones, SIM cards, bank cards and cash.
They also gave advice for people who lose their phones: block the SIM card immediately so thieves cannot use it.
This case shows how solving a small theft can help catch big criminals.
Delhi Police arrested nine people in coordinated raids across Jaipur, Meerut and Ghaziabad for allegedly running an interstate financial fraud network.
The case began when an 88-year-old West Patel Nagar resident reported his phone stolen on May 19, after which Rs 70,000 was withdrawn from his bank account in three unauthorized transactions.
The network worked in two tiers: a Jaipur group accessed victims' accounts and moved funds through mule accounts, while a Meerut and Ghaziabad group supplied mule accounts, debit cards, SIM cards and POS machines.
Police identified Nikhil Soni, 26, as the alleged main operator and technical mastermind of the Jaipur module, which ran a call-centre-style setup in Jhotwara.
Investigators seized 52 mobile phones, 145 SIM cards, 70 debit cards, six POS machines, four laptops and Rs 4 lakh in cash, and linked the network to 19 complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
- Who
- An 88-year-old Delhi resident whose phone was stolen, and nine alleged members of an interstate cybercrime network, including alleged main operator Nikhil Soni.
- What
- The stolen phone led Delhi Police to uncover an interstate financial fraud network involving mule bank accounts, stolen banking credentials and a call-centre-style operation.
- When
- The phone theft was reported on May 19, the FIR was registered on July 23, and the arrests were announced on a Monday.
- Where
- Delhi's West Patel Nagar and Central District; Jhotwara in Jaipur, Rajasthan; and Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The accused allegedly used stolen phones to access victims' banking services and siphon funds, with Rs 70,000 withdrawn from the elderly victim's account.
- People arrested
- 9
- Amount stolen from victim
- Rs 70,000 (three unauthorized transactions)
- FIR registration date
- July 23
- Legal provision
- Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
- Alleged main operator
- Nikhil Soni, 26, of Jaipur
- Major seizures
- 52 mobile phones, 145 SIM cards, 70 debit cards, 6 POS machines, 4 laptops, Rs 4 lakh cash
- Linked complaints
- 19 on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP)
- Raid locations
- Jaipur (Rajasthan), Meerut and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh)