Delhi Police on Monday arrested a 20-year-old man from Rajasthan, who impersonated as a ‘tantrik’ on social media using AI-generated images to deceive people with claims of supernatural powers.
He allegedly cheated more than 50 people across the country, the police said.
Rahul, the accused from Jhunjhunu, ran several fraudulent social media profiles and a fake website called ‘AGHORIJIRAJASTHAN,’ where he claimed to be a spiritual healer capable of addressing personal and family issues through occult practices and black magic.
According to the police, Rahul increased the reach of his reels through paid ads, drawing in more gullible individuals.
“Using AI technology, the accused created lifelike photos and videos depicting spirits and mystical rituals. These were posted on his social media and website to support his deceptive narrative,” said DCP Devesh Mahla (New Delhi).
The officer further stated that the accused promoted services such as ‘breakup solutions, love marriage assistance, controlling a partner, resolving family disputes, and removing evil spirits’ through his posts.
“Rahul used paid advertisements to boost the reach of his reels, aiming to attract emotionally vulnerable individuals looking for help with personal or relationship problems,” DCP Mahla stated.
Once the individuals contacted him, he manipulated them via phone calls and chats, often creating fear by claiming their homes were haunted or they were affected by black magic.
“He would then persuade them that specific rituals were necessary and demand payment through online transfers,” the officer added.
As per the police, funds were transferred via UPI to accounts belonging to the accused and his family. Upon receiving the money, he cut off all contact by blocking the victims and deleting the chats.
The case came to light when a Delhi woman filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, claiming she was cheated of Rs 1.14 lakh, prompting the New Delhi Cyber Police Station to initiate an investigation.
The woman told the police that the tantrik made her believe that her home was haunted by evil spirits and used doctored photos of shadowy figures to intimidate her into purchasing expensive rituals.
After a thorough investigation, the authorities traced the money flow to several bank accounts connected to Rahul and his family members.
The mobile number associated with the social media account was registered in his name. The accused frequently changed locations to avoid arrest and he was eventually tracked down in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, the officer said, adding that, on Thursday, a team conducted a raid and arrested Rahul.
Rahul, during the interrogation, confessed to running multiple fake social media accounts and a website to exploit people’s fears and then cheat them, the DCP said.
“He revealed that the scam had lasted several months and targeted more than 50 victims from different states,” he added.
Police have seized three mobile phones, five SIM cards, three debit cards, three checkbooks, and a fake website linked to the crime, Mahla added, saying that the accused has been taken into custody for further investigation.
Police are currently examining the fake website and social media accounts to identify additional victims and determine if the accused had any accomplices.