Swipe, trust, extort: Bengal conman cheats 500 women of ₹2 crore. Details here

What sounds like the plot of Ladies vs Ricky Bahl has unfolded in real life, as a 35-year-old man allegedly used fake identities, romance traps and emotional manipulation to cheat hundreds of women across India through dating apps and social media.

The accused, identified as Anand Kumar from West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, was arrested by the PS Cyber team of Delhi's South-West District for allegedly running a large-scale romance scam and extortion racket.

According to police, Kumar created multiple fake profiles across dating platforms, matrimonial sites and social media, presenting himself as a doctor, businessman, lawyer and even a film producer.

Using these identities, he would initiate conversations with women, gradually gain their trust and develop emotional connections. Once a relationship was established, he allegedly began asking for money under various excuses, including marriage plans, medical emergencies, business losses or investment opportunities.

In several instances, investigators found that he also obtained private photos and videos during online interactions and later used them to threaten victims with exposure, turning the scam into blackmail.

Police said the accused targeted more than 500 women across India, allegedly cheating or extorting close to Rs 2 crore in total.

The case came to light after one woman filed an e-FIR, reporting that she had been duped of around Rs 7 lakh by a fake Instagram account operating under the name 'Vaibhav Arora'.

Investigators revealed that the accused maintained several aliases simultaneously, including names like Vaibhav Arora, Dr Rohit Behl, Tarun, Anand Sharma and Shikha.

In the complainant's case, he initially connected with her on a dating app, later shifting conversations to Instagram and WhatsApp using multiple phone numbers. He allegedly promised marriage and even introduced another fake persona as a friend to make the story more convincing.

When the victim began asking for her money back, he cut off communication and later sent a message claiming that the identity she knew had "died", effectively attempting to disappear.

Following the complaint, police traced digital evidence including IP logs, mobile numbers, financial transactions and social media activity.

The investigation eventually led teams to West Bengal's 24 Parganas region, where multiple raids were conducted before Kumar was apprehended after sustained surveillance.

During the arrest, police recovered four smartphones, eight SIM cards, three debit cards, along with gold jewellery allegedly purchased using the defrauded money.

Investigators said a significant portion of the money was spent on online gaming and personal expenses, apart from luxury purchases such as gold chains and bracelets.

Police also confirmed that Kumar had been previously involved in at least two similar cybercrime cases in Delhi and Ghaziabad, indicating a pattern of repeat offences.