Adilabad police arrest Rajasthan man in Gujarat over ₹4.2 lakh cyber fraud

Adilabad/Telengana | 27-10-2026 - Adilabad district police have arrested a 23-year-old Rajasthan man in Gujarat in connection with an alleged online escort-service fraud that cost a Telangana resident about ₹4.2 lakh, according to The Hindu and The Times of India. Police are investigating suspected links between the accused and complaints from across the country, including cases in Telangana.

The accused was identified as Dinesh Patel, a native of Udaipur district in Rajasthan. The Hindu reported that he is from Dagar village and is suspected of being linked to about 220 complaints nationwide, including 20 in Telangana. The Times of India reported the same figures, citing police, but described the complaints as having been registered against him.

WhatsApp link led to payment request

The case concerns a resident of Sangidi village in Bela mandal. According to The Times of India, the victim received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number containing a link to what appeared to be an escort-service website. Opening it brought up a request for a ₹2,200 payment through UPI, which he paid believing the request was genuine.

The newspaper reported that money was subsequently taken without authorisation from accounts linked to his credit cards. It put the total loss at ₹4,20,210 across 16 transactions. The Hindu reported the loss in rounded terms as ₹4.20 lakh and said investigators alleged that fake service links were used to induce payments and facilitate unauthorised credit-card transactions.

Bela police registered a case following the victim’s complaint. Adilabad superintendent of police Akhil Mahajan said investigators identified Patel using technical evidence, mobile phone numbers and online transaction records, according to The Times of India. The investigation led police to Gujarat, where he was taken into custody.

Police examine alleged money trail

According to investigators cited by The Times of India, Patel allegedly obtained SIM cards using other people’s identity documents and promoted fake escort-service links on Instagram. People who responded were then contacted through Telegram and WhatsApp and persuaded to pay for services that were not provided.

Police alleged that payments were moved through mule bank accounts, while credit-card payments were used to purchase gift cards on online shopping platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart. Those gift cards were then used to acquire goods, making the proceeds harder to trace directly, the newspaper reported.

Mahajan also said police had secured ₹2 lakh of the defrauded money and completed the court process for returning it to the victim, according to The Times of India.

Telangana cases under scrutiny

The Times of India reported that investigators had found suspected links to similar offences within the jurisdictions of Osmania University, Vanasthalipuram and Narsingi police stations. Those allegations form part of the wider investigation into Patel’s activities.

Police seized three mobile phones, a mini iPad and an HP laptop allegedly used in the offences, the newspaper reported. Investigators are examining the devices for further evidence and details of other suspected offences. The reported nationwide complaint links remain police allegations under investigation.

Sources: The Hindu; The Times of India.