New Delhi | The Delhi Police arrested a national-level shooter, with medals in multiple competitions, over suspected links with an interstate cyber fraud racket that allegedly cheated a Delhi resident of over Rs 40 lakh, an official said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Himanshu Chauhan, a resident of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested by the Crime Branch following sustained technical and financial surveillance spanning multiple states.
"Chauhan has previously won medals at national and state shooting championships," a senior police official said in a statement, adding that he facilitated cybercrime operations by arranging mule bank accounts for the syndicate, which were then used to channel the defrauded funds.
According to the police, the case pertains to an e-FIR registered in June 2025 at the Cyber Cell police station in northwest Delhi, where the complainant alleged he was duped of Rs 40.27 lakh through fake online gaming platforms, fraudulent stock trading and IPO investment schemes.
The victim was allegedly induced to transfer money through IMPS, NEFT and UPI channels, police said.
"Analysis of bank transactions revealed that Rs 8 lakh was credited on a single day into a mule account linked to the syndicate. Further examination of the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal showed at least 40 related complaints and two FIRs registered in Bengaluru and Mumbai against the same bank account, pointing to the pan-India racket," the official said.
During questioning of the accused who had been arrested in this connection earlier, Chauhan's role emerged as a key facilitator in the operation. He acted as a crucial link between mule account providers and the handlers of the cyber fraud module, the official said.
Chauhan allegedly persuaded people to provide mule bank accounts in return for commissions up to Rs 1 lakh per account, which were then used to route and layer the defrauded money.
He then passed on the account details to another associate based in Agra, who further channelled the proceeds of cyber fraud, police said, adding that efforts are on to trace the associate and identify other members linked with the syndicate.
Further investigation is underway to identify additional mule accounts, and trace the complete money trail, police said.
