The Cyber Police Station, West Region, Mumbai, has arrested a 35-year-old man, Anil Madhukar Darekar, for allegedly posing as an official from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the 1930 Cyber Helpline. The accused is said to have contacted victims of previous cybercrime cases and promised to help them recover their lost money in exchange for further payments.
According to police reports, Darekar contacted victims using multiple mobile numbers. He introduced himself as a representative from I4C and the 1930 Cyber Helpline, assuring victims that he could retrieve the amounts lost to cyber fraud. To gain their trust, he sent them a forged identity card via WhatsApp, which bore the logos of the Government of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, along with the Indian national emblem. The fake ID identified him as “Anil Darekar – Cyber Legal & Technical.”
After convincing the victims of his authenticity, Darekar asked them to transfer money to bank accounts he controlled, citing reasons such as court proceedings and legal fees. The accounts used for collecting money included HDFC Bank account Kotak Mahindra Bank. He also used the UPI ID sonalikadam8611-3@okhdfcbank for collecting funds.
Following technical investigations, police arrested Darekar from his residence from Panvel, Raigad, on July 10 and Items recovered from him include a mobile phone, debit cards, and the fake identity card used in the fraud.
A case has been registered under IPC sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2), along with sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
Preliminary investigation suggests that Darekar accessed details of cybercrime complaints from police stations and systematically targeted victims across Maharashtra using the same fraudulent method.
Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and not to share money online based on phone calls or WhatsApp messages claiming to be from I4C or the 1930 Cyber Helpline. These agencies do not request money or initiate such recovery processes. Citizens are advised to verify the identity of callers and avoid acting on unverified information received through social media or messaging platforms.
