Delhi Police crack fake CBI raid racket targeting homes for cash, valuables

Delhi Police arrested seven people for allegedly posing as CBI officers and staging fake raids. The case has exposed a wider extortion network that may have targeted more victims in Delhi and Mumbai.

In Short

• A businessman and his mother questioned the team's credentials during visit
• Neighbours intervened after suspects allegedly created panic outside the house
• A deleted fake notice screenshot became crucial evidence for investigators

Delhi Police have arrested seven people for allegedly posing as CBI officers and carrying out fake raids to threaten people and extort money or valuables in Delhi and Mumbai. Those held include a former bar and restaurant singer, an ex-banker and a woman who earlier ran a hotel, police said on Monday.

The case came to light after a group allegedly reached a businessman's home in Delhi on the night of August 11, claimed to be CBI officials and threatened him and his mother with a raid. The group left after neighbours intervened and the family questioned their credentials, following which police began an investigation.

The seven arrested have been identified as Asifa, 29, a native of Jammu and Kashmir; Pooja Aggarwal, a former singer at bars and restaurants; Kuldeep Sharma, 63, a former bank employee; Chander Prakash Sharma, 38, a former electronics repairman; and Shubham alias Golu, 25, Rajveer Singh, 21, and Nitin Sharma, 30, all unemployed. “The case was cracked through analysis of CCTV footage, electronic evidence, technical surveillance and a purported CBI notice sent to the complainant's father,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal said.

According to police, at around 10 pm on August 11, businessman Pratham Aggarwal and his mother were at their home when around eight people, including six men and two women, arrived and introduced themselves as CBI officials. They allegedly showed identity cards and said they had come to conduct a raid.

When the family asked for proper authorisation or a search warrant, the group allegedly threatened and intimidated them. Police said the suspects stayed outside the house for around 90 minutes, creating panic, and left only after neighbours intervened. They allegedly said a notice had been issued to Aggarwal's father and that they would fetch it from their vehicle. The family then contacted the police helpline.

Police said a fake CBI notice was also sent to Aggarwal's father on his mobile phone. Though the message was later deleted, the family had kept a screenshot, which was used in the investigation. An FIR was registered at Prashant Vihar police station on August 19 under sections 308(2) for extortion, 351(2) for criminal intimidation and 61(2) for criminal conspiracy of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

During the investigation, police examined CCTV footage and digital evidence and traced the alleged network behind the incident. Police said Asifa had earlier operated a hotel in Rajendra Place, which later shut down after losses. They said she had interacted with people from police and Army backgrounds and allegedly presented herself as someone with such links.

“Around eight months ago, she met Kuldeep Sharma at a family marriage, where she and Pooja represented themselves as being connected with the CBI. Kuldeep, who had worked with a bank, had come into contact with the complainant through his banking-related work. He provided Asifa and Pooja information about the complainant, his residence and the possible availability of cash or valuables there,” the DCP said.

Police said Pooja had a key role in arranging manpower for the purported raid. She allegedly contacted her brother-in-law, Chander Prakash Sharma, and asked him to arrange people who could pose as CBI personnel. Chander allegedly came with Shubham, Rajveer, Nitin and other associates, including two Sikh men whose identities are being verified. Police said clothes bearing a CBI monogram were recovered from Chander, while images of fake identity cards were found on mobile phones.

“Shubham, Rajveer and Nitin told police that they had been contacted by Chander to participate in the fake raids and were paid by him and Asifa for each such operation. Eight mobile phones have been seized. The devices contained images of fake identity cards as well as photographs and videos showing members of the group dressed as government officials,” the officer said.

The investigation has also found material suggesting the accused may have carried out similar operations at other places.

Police said videos recovered from the seized phones indicate that members of the group may have conducted multiple raids in Delhi and Mumbai while posing not only as CBI officials but also as personnel of the Enforcement Directorate and other government agencies.

The accused are suspected to have been involved in such activities for around three to four months.

Police are now examining whether the group chose targets after getting information about their financial position, business dealings or possession of cash and valuables.

They are also verifying the exact roles of Chander Prakash, Shubham, Rajveer and Nitin through CCTV footage, call records, surveillance and other digital evidence, while the identities and roles of other alleged associates in the Prashant Vihar operation are also being checked.

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