Missing children: Delhi Police bust scam exploiting missing childrens search, 904 parents victimised

New Delhi, December 21: In a disturbing development, the Delhi Police have unearthed a callous scam that exploited the vulnerability of parents desperately searching for their missing children. Shockingly, 904 parents, among them Markandey, were ensnared in this deceitful scheme orchestrated by a lone individual who took advantage of their distress.

The scam came to light when Markandey reported his 14-year-old daughter missing and received a call from an unknown number. The caller, posing as a police station representative, claimed to have traced the girl near Chandigarh and urgently requested Rs 8,000 for fuel expenses to reach her. Driven by concern for his daughter's safety, Markandey promptly transferred the money, only for the calls to abruptly cease thereafter.

The Delhi Police said Shyamsunder Chauhan, 28, a BCA graduate, was apprehended from Uttar Pradesh’s Mau by the north district of Delhi Police for orchestrating this callous exploitation. Chauhan allegedly sourced information from ZIPNET, a database intended for inter-state police coordination, specifically focusing on missing individuals, particularly children. This database contained critical details like photographs, addresses, and contact numbers of the complainants.

DCP (North Delhi) Manoj Kumar Meena said Shyamsunder Chauhan would pose as an informant or police officer, falsely claiming knowledge of the missing person's whereabouts or dire situation. Exploiting emotions and falsely promising the individual's safety, he coerced families into transferring money via QR codes, extorting amounts ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 40,000. Shockingly, Chauhan even went as far as claiming to have the complainant’s child in his presence, citing distressing circumstances to manipulate payments.

Chauhan cleverly masqueraded by using a police officer's image as his WhatsApp profile picture and abstaining from social media platforms.

Following Chauhan's arrest, police investigations revealed a significant web of deceit. By scrutinizing his PayTM transaction records and cross-referencing numbers with ZIPNET complaints, the authorities identified 904 cases of extortion. Further investigations are ongoing, suspecting additional victims.

Emphasising Chauhan's aim of pocketing around Rs 15,000 daily through these fraudulent calls, the authorities estimate the accumulated extorted funds to be in several lakhs.

The North Delhi district police have connected Chauhan to 41 missing persons' reports within their jurisdiction. Chauhan's audacious claims extended to offering CCTV footage of alleged kidnappings for exorbitant fees.