Cheated more than 500 women of nearly Rs 2 crore; youth arrested

NEW DELHI: A man accused of cheating more than 500 women of nearly Rs 2 crore on the pretext of marriage has been arrested by cyber police. The accused, Anand Kumar (33), a native of West Bengal, was apprehended following an investigation based on a complaint filed by one of the victims. According to police, Anand Kumar targeted women through dating apps and matrimonial websites. He allegedly posed as a doctor, businessman, film producer, and lawyer to gain their trust.

Apart from promising marriage, he also lured victims by claiming he could arrange modelling opportunities and secure admissions in reputed colleges. Investigators said he would spend months communicating with victims, building emotional connections before making financial demands.

Once trust was established, he would cite emergencies such as medical issues, business losses, or family problems to seek money. After receiving the funds, he would abandon the identity he was using and move on to his next target, police said.

In one such case, he cheated a woman of Rs 7 lakh after contacting her on Instagram under the name 'Vaibhav Arora.' When she later asked for her money back, she received a message claiming that the person had died. Following her complaint, the Delhi Police cyber cell conducted a detailed investigation and arrested the accused from West Bengal. Police recovered four mobile phones, eight SIM cards, three debit cards, and gold ornaments purchased using the cheated money.

According to police, the accused used the stolen money for online gaming and to maintain a lavish lifestyle. He was found to be chatting with multiple women simultaneously using different identities such as Dr. Rohit Bal, Tarun, and Anand Sharma. Cases had previously been registered against him in Delhi and Ghaziabad. Police are also investigating whether a larger fraud network is involved in the case.