Maharashtra Man Arrested for Rs 1.10 Crore Social Media Scam Targeting Delhi Family

A Goa-based man was apprehended for allegedly defrauding a Delhi woman and her family of Rs 1.10 crore by impersonating as the CEO of several companies and proposing fraudulent job opportunities and investment schemes through social media platforms, according to police officials on Friday.

Kunal Satish Helkar, originally from Maharashtra, reportedly operated a sophisticated cyber fraud network utilizing forged company documentation, fake offer letters, and manipulated online personas to swindle multiple victims, authorities revealed.

"The investigation commenced following a complaint filed by Diksha Kanojia, who claimed that she and her family members were deceived by Helkar through false promises of employment, company partnerships, and profitable investment opportunities," stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh in an official release.

Authorities reported that Helkar initially contacted the complainant via social media on February 20 of the previous year, offering her employment as a Digital Associate News Editor with a monthly salary of Rs 45,000 at his company.

He allegedly created numerous fictitious entities—including Planner Media Group, Speak Community Network, and Vijaya Digital Corporation—while impersonating respected professionals and falsely claiming associations with UNESCO India to establish credibility, according to the police statement.

Through counterfeit appointment letters, receipts, and emails, Helkar reportedly persuaded the victim and her relatives to transfer substantial amounts of money under various pretexts, such as internship fees, employment-related programs, purchasing electronic devices, and DDA flat allocations.

"He utilized professional networking platforms to identify and target educated victims. He created fake websites and documents of reputable organizations like UNESCO and the DDA to make his operations appear legitimate," the DCP explained.

During the investigation, technical analysis of mobile numbers, email accounts, and banking transactions uncovered an extensive network of fraud and digital manipulation.

"Helkar even installed CCTV cameras at the complainant's residence under the guise of security measures to monitor their movements and gain additional trust. Following extensive surveillance and digital tracking, the accused was located in Goa, where he was hiding.

A police team conducted a raid and arrested him, seizing two mobile phones, forged documents, fake DDA allotment emails, and financial instruments used in the criminal activities," the officer added.

During interrogation, Helkar allegedly admitted to creating multiple fake corporate identities and defrauding the complainant's family of over Rs 1 crore.

"He was transported to Delhi after obtaining a transit remand from a local court in Goa. Police are now tracing the flow of the fraudulently obtained funds, identifying potential accomplices, and investigating whether other victims were targeted in similar scams.