‘Doctor, businessman, producer’: Man posed as multiple identities to dupe 500 women, arrested

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police have arrested a man for allegedly cheating more than 500 women across the country of nearly Rs 2 crore by targeting them through dating and matrimonial apps, officials said on Thursday.According to the Cyber Police of the South-West District, the accused, Anand Kumar, a resident of West Bengal, was involved in honey-trapping, romance scams and blackmail for a long time. Police said he created multiple fake social media profiles, posing as a doctor, businessman and film producer to win the trust of women.Officials said he would develop emotional relationships with victims by promising love and marriage, and later fabricate stories such as medical emergencies, business losses or urgent financial needs to extort money.In several cases, Kumar allegedly blackmailed victims by threatening to circulate their private photos and videos online.Police said the accused targeted over 500 women and cheated them of around ₹2 crore over time. The case came to light after a victim reported a loss of about ₹7 lakh.He was arrested from the 24 Parganas area of West Bengal using technical surveillance and digital tracking.Police recovered four mobile phones, eight SIM cards, debit cards and gold jewellery from his possession.