In a major breakthrough under its ongoing cybercrime crackdown, Delhi Police has arrested the son of a former associate of the popular eatery brand ‘Khan Chacha’, exposing a sophisticated mule account network used in “digital arrest” frauds.
The arrest was made during Operation ‘CyHawk 4.0’, which officials describe as the biggest cybercrime operation undertaken so far by the force. Among those held is 49-year-old Mohammad Javed, a restaurateur, whose alleged role in facilitating cyber fraud transactions has surprised investigators.
According to Delhi Police, the case came to light while analysing complaints on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, where suspicious financial activity was traced to a bank account operating under the name “Saleem
Javed Rule The Rolls Since 1960”. The account, linked to a business operating out of Khan Market, was allegedly used to route money siphoned from victims across the country.
According to a Times of India report, police said that fraudulent transactions worth around Rs 3.3 crore were linked to this account. Of this, approximately Rs 54 lakh was directly credited before being layered and transferred across multiple accounts to obscure the money trail. Investigators found that the account was originally opened for a restaurant and catering business but was later handed over to cybercriminals in exchange for a 2-3% commission.
As per Delhi Police, Javed and his brother Mohammad Saleem admitted during interrogation that financial difficulties led them to allow their bank account to be used for illegal transactions. While Javed has been arrested, Saleem has been bound down under relevant legal provisions. Two mobile phones and SIM cards have been seized, and deleted chats have been recovered as digital evidence.
At least 21 complaints are linked to the account, and Javed is a resident of Sainik Farm, reported TOI. The accused are reportedly sons of the founder of the Khan Chacha brand, which has since been acquired by another businessman. Current owner Navneet Kalra reportedly clarified that the brand has had no association with the accused for nearly a decade.
The investigation also revealed that the accused had shared banking credentials with associates identified as Harvinder Kohli, Naseem, and Sandeep Dwivedi, who helped circulate funds through a web of accounts to mask their origin. Police are continuing their search for these individuals.
Operation CyHawk 4.0 has so far seen 8,371 suspects detained and questioned, with over 1,400 arrests and notices issued to more than 2,200 individuals. Authorities have identified 3,564 mule accounts linked to cyber frauds amounting to over Rs 519 crore nationwide.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Vijay Kumar said multiple interconnected cases were uncovered during the operation. These include a Rs 67 crore fraud network in Dwarka, a fake international call centre busted in Outer Delhi with 19 arrests, and cross-border cybercrime links extending to countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
In another case, Rs 2 crore was siphoned through 18 accounts and converted into cryptocurrency before being routed overseas. Investigators also uncovered fraud involving APK-based mobile hacking, honeytrap scams targeting victims for Rs 31.5 lakh, and extortion through fake loan apps.
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