NOIDA: Police on Monday arrested three alleged members of an organised gang involved in fraud and robbery using an online dating application. The accused allegedly lured targets to meet through the dating app and then robbed them.Those arrested include Shivam Jha (20), Sagar Thakur (18), and Kamal (26). They were arrested from Sector 76 by Sector 113 police based on manual intelligence and electronic surveillance.Police recovered Rs 30,000 in cash, four mobile phones, a Baleno car without a number plate, a yellow metal chain and two separate car number plates allegedly used in the crimes.According to ADCP Manisha Singh, the gang targeted people through the Grindr dating application. Investigators said the accused would contact individuals on the app, build trust through conversations and then call them to predetermined locations in the city.Police alleged that once the target arrived, the accused forced them into their vehicle, threatened them and coerced them into transferring money online, besides committing robbery. Officials said the gang used a Baleno without a number plate and frequently changed number plates to evade identification.A case has been registered at Sector 113 police station under sections 318(4) (cheating), 3(5) (common intention), and 317(2) (stolen property) of BNS, along with Section 66(D) of the IT Act, which pertains to cheating by personation using computer resources.Police said Shivam Jha has a criminal history, with alleged involvement in multiple robbery cases registered in 2023 at Sector-113, Sector-63 and Sector-49 police stations, and previous cases under the Arms Act and attempt to murder provisions.Authorities said the arrests were part of a campaign against organised cybercrime and street-level fraud in the district. Investigation is ongoing to identify additional victims and ascertain whether more people were involved with the gang.
