New Delhi: A 29-year-old e-rickshaw driver has been arrested for siphoning off Rs 3 lakh using a stolen SIM card from a lost mobile phone, police said. The case came to light after Pappu Singh, 50, a resident of Saboli Extension, reported losing his mobile phone while returning home on June 26. Days later, his daughter discovered that Rs 3 lakh had been fraudulently withdrawn from her bank account—linked to the lost phone number—via unauthorised UPI transactions carried out between June 26 and June 28. Based on his complaint, police registered a case under Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched an investigation. “Technical analysis and surveillance led us to the suspect, identified as Parshuram, a resident of Jhilmil Colony in Shahdara,” said DCP (northeast) Ashish Kumar Mishra. During interrogation, Parshuram admitted to buying the lost phone from a passerby on June 26. Although the phone wouldn’t switch on, he was told it only needed charging. While inspecting the locked device, he noticed banking notifications flashing on the screen, including balance and transaction alerts. Unable to unlock the phone, he discarded it in a drain but kept the SIM card. He then inserted the SIM into his own device, downloaded a UPI app, reset the PIN using OTPs, and transferred Rs 3 lakh into his account over two days. He later withdrew the entire amount, police said. The phone used in the fraud has been recovered. Police said the accused, who works as an e-rickshaw driver, is being investigated for possible links to other similar cases. Further inquiries are underway to trace the money trail and identify any accomplices, officials added.
