The Cyber Police Station of Delhi Police’s Central District has arrested a 26-year-old man for cheating a woman Constable of approximately Rs 24 lakh in an investment scam, officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Vikrant Kumar alias Vicky Tomar, a resident of Vazidpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district, was arrested in connection with FIR No. 271/2026, registered on September 8 under Sections 318(4), 316(2) and 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the police, the case was registered following a complaint by Constable Shiwani of Delhi Police, who alleged that the accused approached her on Instagram under the pretext of seeking guidance regarding recruitment to the Delhi Police through the sports quota.

The conversation subsequently shifted to WhatsApp, where the accused allegedly established a rapport with the woman and portrayed himself as a prominent figure in cricket.

Investigators said he later persuaded her to invest money by promising high returns. Trusting his assurances, the complainant allegedly transferred her savings from her Axis Bank account, took a personal loan of Rs 12 lakh and borrowed additional money from acquaintances.

The woman was cheated of approximately Rs 24 lakh in total, the police said.

Of the total amount, around Rs 8 lakh was transferred to bank accounts linked to the online betting platform 1x.com, allegedly at the accused’s direction.

The police are investigating the financial transactions to establish the complete money trail and determine whether other individuals or accounts were involved in the alleged fraud.

The complaint also includes allegations of sexual misconduct. According to the police, during an in-person meeting, the accused allegedly touched the complainant’s waist inappropriately with the intention of outraging her modesty.

The allegation forms part of the case registered against him under the relevant provisions of the BNS.

The Cyber Police Station’s Central District team is continuing its investigation to determine whether the accused allegedly defrauded other people using a similar modus operandi.

Officials said efforts were underway to identify potential victims and establish whether additional financial transactions were linked to the case.

The police have not ruled out the possibility of further developments as the investigation progresses.

Political reactions have intensified over an alleged audio clip concerning a purported Rs 500-crore transaction involving Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, with Shiv Sena leader Anand Dubey defending Shinde and Congress leader Husain Dalwai calling for an investigation.

The controversy erupted in political circles in Maharashtra after Manoj Jarange Patil released an explosive audio clip, alleging a deep-rooted political conspiracy to defame the Maratha agitation and crush his movement.

A startling segment in the audio explicitly claimed: “Jarange Patil ko already 500 crore roopaye pahunch chuke hain, jo Shrikant Shinde ke madhyam se pahunch chuke hain (Rs 500 crore has already reached Manoj Jarange through Shrikant Shinde)”, adding that the “primary personal target remains Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP.”

Shinde has denied the allegations and called for a formal investigation to establish whether the audio clips are authentic or potentially AI-generated fabrications.

Referring to the controversy, Shiv Sena leader Anand Dubey alleged Shinde’s reputation was being targeted through allegations based on an audio clip purportedly dating back two years.

“Our leader Eknath Shinde is a ‘karmaveer’ leader and comes from the Maratha community. Whoever is tarnishing his image will be forgiven neither by the Maratha community of Maharashtra nor by the non-Maratha community. Eknath Shinde is a leader who works tirelessly day and night, and allegations are being levelled against him based on an alleged audio recording that is two-years-old,” Dubey told media.

He added, “We will thank the Chief Minister for ordering a forensic investigation into the audio clip. A delegation of our leaders has met him and is asking who these people were who were talking two or two-and-a-half years ago, and why this is being released today. The matter will be investigated.”

Emphasising the alliance between Shiv Sena and the BJP, Dubey said the parties were part of the NDA.

Congress leader Husain Dalwai, meanwhile, questioned the alleged amount involved and called for an investigation into the matter. He also raised concerns about the demand for Maratha reservation and its potential implications for the existing Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota.

“The question Jarange is raising is itself the wrong question. The demand is that the Maratha community should get reservation, is that wrong? Poor people in the Maratha community should receive education, get jobs and receive assistance for their farming. That is understandable. But if they are included in the reservation system, what happens to those who genuinely belong to the OBC category?” Dalwai said.

Questioning the scale of the alleged transaction, he added, “The second thing is this Rs 500-crore matter. First, count how many zeros there are in one crore. This matter should be investigated.”

Dalwai also took a swipe at Shinde over his political association, saying, “I would tell Eknath Shinde that the party he has joined, you will gradually understand what it is.”

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, on Friday conducted search operations at seven premises across Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Medchal-Malkajgiri in Telangana under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), an official statement said on Saturday.

The raids targeted the registered office of M/s Kanakadhara Ventures Pvt. Ltd. (KVPL), the residences of its directors, and premises linked to entities and individuals alleged to have acted as conduits for the diversion of bank funds.

The searches form part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged “misutilisation” and diversion of credit facilities sanctioned to KVPL and its directors, the ED statement said.

The ED case stems from an FIR dated December 8, 2022, registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Bank Securities and Fraud Branch (BS&FB), Bangalore, on a complaint from Punjab National Bank.

The FIR alleges offences under Sections 120-B, 420, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

According to the agency, a consortium of banks led by Punjab National Bank — comprising IDBI Bank, Union Bank of India, Andhra Bank (now UBI) and Bank of Baroda — suffered a loss of Rs 326.49 crore.

ED investigations revealed that Bank Guarantee and Letter of Credit facilities granted to KVPL were misused. Funds were allegedly diverted through related and conduit entities on the strength of fabricated steel purchase invoices and transport documents.

The company is also accused of operating bank accounts outside the consortium arrangement without the knowledge of the lending banks, the statement said.

During the searches, officials seized incriminating documents, digital devices and other records related to the diversion and layering of funds. Unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 15 lakh was also recovered.

Multiple immovable properties and investments linked to the case have been identified.

ED said further investigation is underway.

The coordinated action underscores the agency’s continued focus on tracing the proceeds of bank frauds and cracking down on complex money-laundering networks involving corporate entities.