Overview

• Anil Madhukar Darekar, 35, was arrested July 10 by West Region Cyber Police after tracing victims’ calls to his Panvel location.
• He posed as an Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre official and 1930 helpline staff by sending a forged identity card via WhatsApp.
• Victims were instructed to pay ₹5–₹10 in court and service fees to bank accounts and a UPI ID under another name, with losses totaling over ₹1 lakh.
• Police seized Darekar’s mobile phones, debit cards and the counterfeit I4C ID and registered cases under several IPC sections along with IT Act provisions.
• Investigators warn that no genuine cybercrime helpline charges fees and advise the public to verify caller identities through official portals before transferring money.