Mid-Day Impact: Cops nail kingpin of dating app scam; watch video

Ankur Meena (in black shirt), the alleged mastermind behind the dating app scam, in the custody of the authorities

More than a month after mid-day went undercover to expose the insidious dating app scam, the Bangur Nagar police arrested its alleged mastermind, Ankur Meena, from Delhi with the help of the local police force. According to the authorities, the 26-year-old - who had issued a challenge to the police, boasting that no one could apprehend him - was arrested after an intensive manhunt led by Cyber In-charge Assistant Police Inspector Vivek Tambe and Police Sub-Inspector Rohan Patil.

The team, under the guidance of Anand Bhoite, DCP, Zone XI, and Senior Police Inspector Anil Thackeray of Bangur Nagar police station, had been camping around Delhi for several days to nab the fugitive. To evade the police, Meena had been frequently changing his location. He had left his home and took refuge in a Delhi hotel, from where he was allegedly operating the dating racket, targeting nightclubs in Delhi and surrounding areas.

The police said that though the 26-year-old hasn't been cooperative, he has revealed the names of some Mumbai clubs involved in the racket

The Bangur Nagar cops, along with Delhi's Anand Vihar police, had scanned most of the hotels in the Shahdara locality, including three and four-star establishments. "Early on Thursday morning, the team received precise information about Meena's whereabouts and successfully apprehended him from the IP Royal Hotel in Anand Vihar," said an officer from Bangur Nagar police station.

Meena is said to come from a respectable family residing at Sushila Garden in Saboli Extension. His father, a school principal, and elder brother, a dentist, were apparently unaware of his alleged activities. While working in various nightclubs in Delhi, Meena came in contact with people who would scam men through dating apps and started emulating them.

The police said that though Meena hasn't been cooperative, he has revealed the names of some Mumbai clubs involved in the racket. "We are trying to find out which clubs in Mumbai, Pune and Thane were involved in the scam and the names of every racketeer," said an officer.

Modus operandi

The police said that after successfully running his dating app scam in cities such as Delhi, Goa, Jaipur, Dehradun, Agra, Lucknow, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Raipur, and Nagpur, Meena expanded his operations to Mumbai, Pune and Thane. He had been active in Mumbai for the past 1.5 to two years, allegedly executing an elaborate scheme targeting men.

Ankur Meena, the alleged mastermind behind the dating app scam

Meena allegedly put together a gang comprising attractive women, aged 18 to 27, and unemployed young men whom he hired as PR agents. He then allegedly lured the owners of nightclubs, pubs, bars, lounges and restaurants, especially those struggling due to the pandemic, into taking part in the racket. The women accomplices registered on various dating apps with the task of befriending male users, convincing them to meet at clubs, and then encouraging them to spend large amounts of money.

Once inside, the women would rack up hefty bills, with 25-30 per cent of the amount going to them. In just half an hour, the girls would generate bills ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 70,000, and sometimes Rs 1 lakh. When it was time to pay, they would flee, leaving the men stranded. Sources reveal that waiters, managers, staff, and even security personnel at these establishments were part of Meena's operation. They would intimidate customers into paying, and reports suggest that bouncers would assault the men and resort to force if they refused to pay. Some men were allowed to leave only after they borrowed from friends and relatives to pay the bill.

Investigation and consequences

In July, mid-day published a report exposing the scam, after which several victims came forward to lodge complaints at Amboli police station. Despite these complaints, no immediate action was taken.

Determined to ensure justice for the victims, mid-day initiated an undercover investigation to understand the gang's modus operandi. Reporters registered on dating apps and soon began receiving messages from women allegedly linked to Meena's gang. They were then invited to various lounges, bars, clubs, and restaurants in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, operated by the gang. As was the case with the victims, a reporter was also tricked into paying hefty bills.

After the report was published, the police were compelled to act. The Amboli police registered a case of cheating against unknown individuals based on victims' complaints, but little progress was made initially. Despite the growing number of victims on dating apps, no decisive action was taken.

A month later, a victim filed a complaint at Bangur Nagar police station, alleging that the gang had committed fraud at the Godfather Club in Andheri. The police registered a case against the club owner, the woman involved, and other associates of the gang under charges of cheating, extortion, and conspiracy.

Police Sub-Inspector Vivek Tambe intensified the investigation. With the help of call detail records (CDR), he tracked down some members of the gang. A raid was then conducted at a hotel in Goregaon, leading to the detention of six people, including two women. During the raid, mobile phones were seized, revealing the scale of the racket and identifying Meena as the kingpin.

What is the dating app scam?

Several men have alleged they had been lured to certain clubs by women on dating apps. Once inside, the women would rack up hefty bills by ordering the most expensive items on the menu. Many would then leave and cut off contact with the men after the latter had settled the bills.