Delhi family lose ₹1.10 crore over fake job, investment fraud; man arrested from Goa

Kunal Satish Helkar, a resident of Maharashtra, allegedly ran a complex cyber fraud network using forged company documents and fake offer letters.

A man from Goa was arrested for allegedly duping a woman and her family of ₹1.10 crore by posing as the CEO of multiple companies and offering them job and investment schemes on social media, an police official said on Friday.

Police said Helkar first approached the complainant through social media on February 20.(Representational photo)

Kunal Satish Helkar, a resident of Maharashtra, allegedly ran a complex cyber fraud network using forged company documents, fake offer letters and manipulated online identities to cheat multiple victims, he said.

"Investigation began after a complaint was filed by one Diksha Kanojia, who alleged that she and her family were defrauded by Helkar through false promises of employment, company partnerships and lucrative investments," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said in a statement.

Police said Helkar first approached the complainant through social media on February 20, last year, offering her a job as a Digital Associate News Editor with a salary of ₹45,000 in his firm.

He allegedly fabricated multiple fake entities -- including Planner Media Group, Speak Community Network, and Vijaya Digital Corporation -- impersonating reputed professionals and falsely claiming links with UNESCO India to gain credibility, read the statement.

Through fake appointment letters, receipts and emails, Helkar allegedly convinced the victim and her relatives to transfer large sums of money under various pretexts such as internship fees and employment-related schemes as well as purchasing gadgets and allotment of DDA flats.

"He used professional networking platforms to identify and target educated victims. He fabricated websites and documents of reputed organisations such as UNESCO and the DDA to make his operations appear legitimate," the DCP said.

During the probe, technical analysis of mobile numbers, email accounts, and bank transactions revealed a web of fraud and digital manipulation.

"Helkar even installed CCTV cameras at the complainant's residence under the guise of security to keep track of their movements and gain further trust. Following extensive surveillance and digital tracking, the accused was traced to Goa, where he was hiding.

"A team conducted a raid and arrested him, recovering two mobile phones, forged documents, fake DDA allotment emails and financial instruments used in the crime," he added.

During interrogation, Helkar allegedly confessed to creating multiple fake corporate identities and defrauding the complainant's family of over ₹1 crore.

"He was brought to Delhi after obtaining a transit remand from a local court in Goa. Police are now tracing the flow of cheated funds, identifying possible accomplices, and verifying whether other victims were targeted in similar scams.