In a significant breakthrough, the Mumbai Police arrested Ankur Meena, a 26-year-old man alleged to be the mastermind behind a widespread dating app scam. This operation involved luring unsuspecting men to various clubs by using fake profiles of women on dating apps. The arrest took place on Saturday following an intensive manhunt spearheaded by Cyber In-charge Assistant Police Inspector Vivek Tambe and Police Sub-Inspector Rohan Patil.
A Complex Pursuit
The operation was meticulously overseen by DCP Anand Bhoite of Zone XI and Senior Police Inspector Anil Thackeray of the Bangur Nagar police station. The team spent several days in Delhi, tracking down Meena, who had been evading capture by frequently changing his location. His efforts to remain under the radar included fleeing his home and taking refuge in a hotel in Delhi, where he allegedly continued to orchestrate the scam, primarily targeting nightclubs in the area.
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How the Arrest Happened
The Bangur Nagar police collaborated with Delhi’s Anand Vihar police to conduct a thorough search of hotels in the Shahdara area, focusing on three- and four-star properties. On Thursday morning, they received reliable information about Meena’s whereabouts, which led to his apprehension at the IP Royal Hotel in Anand Vihar.
Meena hails from Sushila Garden, Saboli Extension, and comes from a respectable family; his father is a school principal, and his elder brother is a dentist. Notably, his family was reportedly unaware of his criminal activities.
How the Scam Operated
The modus operandi of the scam involved male accomplices creating fake profiles on dating apps, masquerading as women. After establishing a rapport with their targets, they would invite them to a pub or bar for a date. Upon arrival, a female accomplice would already be present, ordering multiple rounds of food and drinks.
Once the target was heavily intoxicated, the woman would vanish, leaving the man with an exorbitant bill. The pub staff would then pressure the victim into paying, often claiming the bill was inflated due to extravagant orders. Police suspect that some pub staff may be complicit, receiving a share of the extorted money.
A Notable Incident
In September, a Goregaon resident fell prey to this scheme after meeting a woman named Muskaan on a dating app. After convincing him to join her at a pub in Andheri (West), Muskaan ordered a lavish spread of food and drinks. When the victim began to feel that the liquor tasted unusual, he soon found himself intoxicated. The bill presented to him amounted to a staggering ₹40,000. Although Muskaan initially offered to split the bill, she soon disappeared, claiming to take a phone call. Feeling humiliated, the victim paid the full amount, only reporting the incident nearly a month later.
Continuing Investigations
Although Meena has provided some information about the clubs involved in the scam, police officials indicate he has not been entirely cooperative. Investigators are working to identify which establishments in Mumbai, Pune, and Thane were part of the scheme, as well as the names of all involved racketeers. Over the past 1.5 to two years, Meena has expanded his operations beyond Delhi, successfully running scams in cities like Goa, Jaipur, Dehradun, Agra, Lucknow, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Raipur, and Nagpur.
As the investigation unfolds, the Mumbai Police remain vigilant in their efforts to dismantle this intricate web of fraud, aiming to prevent further victimization of unsuspecting individuals seeking companionship.
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