It began like countless digital romances- a swipe on a dating app, some casual chatting and spending some good moments together. But for 24-year-old Ankit Kumar Kain from Shahdara, what seemed like the beginning of a modern love story quickly unraveled into a chilling case of sextortion, exposing a well-planned cybercrime racket operating behind fake profiles and stolen identities. The bait was cast on QuakQuak, a popular dating app. Ankit matched with a woman who introduced herself as Nandini. Their conversation soon moved to WhatsApp, where she initiated a video call. On camera, the woman appeared nude while Ankits face remained clearly visible — a setup designed to trap him. What he didnt know was that the call was being screen-recorded. Moments after the call ended, the tone of the interaction changed drastically. Nandini demanded `35,000 to delete the video, threatening to leak it on social media. Terrified of public embarrassment, Ankit paid the amount through a bank transfer. But when the blackmailer returned with more demands, he mustered the courage to file a complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. His report triggered an investigation by the Cyber Police Station of Shahdara, which eventually led to the arrest of two individuals: Shyam Singh (21), the man running the operation behind the scenes, and Mangal Singh (31), whose identity and bank account were used to collect the extorted money. A dedicated police team led by SHO Vijay Kumar and supervised by ACP (Operations) Gurdev Singh traced the money trail to a Bandhan Bank account registered in the name of Mangal Singh. However, the account had been opened online by Shyam Singh using Mangals documents and mobile number, all of which were obtained in exchange for a promised sum.  Shyam Singh, a resident of Baldeobas village in Rajasthans Deeg district, later handed over the ATM card and SIM card linked to the bank account to a third party identified as Aamir — now the subject of a wider investigation. Shyams role, police said, involved encouraging others to open bank accounts in their names, which were then used for cyber frauds. Mangal Singh, a resident of Jhangola in North Delhi, revealed that he was introduced to Shyam through one Harjeet Singh alias Sonu. For his part, Mangal was paid `6,000 online and `4,000 in cash after handing over his account credentials, ATM card, and a mobile SIM card. Police recovered four mobile phones and three SIM cards used in the scam, all of which are undergoing forensic analysis. Investigators believe this sextortion case is just one thread in a larger web of cybercrime operations using dating apps to target unsuspecting victims. This is a new-age crime where romance becomes a tool for extortion, said a senior officer. We urge citizens to be cautious about whom they engage with online and to report any suspicious behavior immediately.

Stay updated with all the Delhi Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.