Delhi Police trace Cambodia IP lead in alleged south Delhi property scam

A 75-year-old woman living alone in south Delhi was allegedly coerced into signing a property sale agreement and pawning jewellery after callers posing as CBI officials threatened her in what police describe as a hybrid “digital arrest” scam.

In a status report submitted to the Delhi High Court, Delhi Police said it had traced transactions through more than 10 bank accounts linked to first- and second-layer beneficiaries. Investigators also traced a number used to contact the property dealer to an IP address in Cambodia. Police have sent notices to account holders and are awaiting details from some accounts.

The alleged fraud began in April, when callers told the woman that she was implicated in a money-laundering case and threatened that her children abroad would be sent back to India. She transferred more than Rs 3 lakh and pawned jewellery valued at about Rs 5 lakh, police said.

The callers allegedly arranged for a property dealer to visit her home. Her property papers were taken, and she signed a sale agreement with a purported buyer, with another person listed as a witness. The dealer told police that he believed a caller claiming to be the woman’s son had sought help with the sale. He later accompanied her to file a complaint.

The High Court is scheduled to hear her plea seeking a CBI probe on August 27.