Delhi: Five-man gang busted for cloning cheques

The five accused were arrested in a joint operation by the Delhi Police and UP STF

Delhi Five-man gang busted, Delhi five-man gang arrested, Delhi Police, UP STF, Delhi News, Indian Express, Indian Express News

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A master forger, a double murder accused and three other conmen have been arrested for cloning cheques on Coral Draw and Laserjet printers and bypassing the Cheque Truncated System (CTS) so they could fraudulently withdraw money of unsuspecting victims.

The five accused were arrested in a joint operation by the Delhi Police and UP STF. Police said the accused would hunt for victims by identifying people from lower income groups, and deposit some money in their accounts to win over them.

When the victims would accept the money financed from various criminal activities, the accused would take away important bank details by using a network of associates in courier and finance companies. Then, they would clone the cheques.

“The CTS used by banks to process cheque-related payments was subverted by the accused, Akash, the master forger. In the CTS, the account holder need not physically deposit the cheque and can instead opt for a scanned copy. Akash would send the cloned copies and when bank officials would call the victim, the phone would be answered by the fraudsters,” said DCP (southeast) Romil Baaniya.

By bypassing the CTS, the accused would in some cases deposit cheques on the victim’s names before the victim himself would provide the cheques. “This is how we managed to find out about the gang,” he said.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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