On June 24, 2024, a shocking scam came to light when ‘T’, a civil services aspirant, reported a harrowing experience to the local police. The previous day, T had met his Tinder date, Versha, supposedly to celebrate her birthday. Little did he know, this innocent celebration would turn into a financial nightmare.
The couple went to Black Mirror Cafe on Vikas Marg, where they enjoyed snacks, two cakes, and Versha indulged in four shots of fruit wine. Abruptly, Versha left, citing family issues. T was then presented with an exorbitant bill of Rs. 1,21,917.70. When he disputed the bill, the cafe staff threatened, confined, and coerced him into making an online payment. Feeling scammed, T reported the incident to the police, leading to the registration of FIR No. 277/02024 under sections 120B/420/392/34 IPC at PS Shakarpur.
Investigation Unfolds:
A specialized team led by Insp Sanjay Gupta, SHO/Shakarpur, was formed to probe the case. The investigation revealed that the hefty bill amount was transferred to one of the café’s owners, Mr. Akshay Pahwa, 32, residing in Shivam Enclave, Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara, Delhi. Upon interrogation, Akshay disclosed that he co-owned Black Mirror Café with his cousin Vansh Pahwa and their friend Ansh Grover.
Akshay revealed that the café employed Digranshu as the manager, who supervised various ‘table manager’ teams, including one led by Aryan. Further interrogation and technical surveillance led to the arrest of Afsan Parveen, alias Versha, who was with another victim at a different cafe.
Afsan confessed that Aryan, posing as Versha, communicated with T and lured him to the café under the pretext of celebrating her birthday. The café owners, managers, and accomplices shared the swindled amount in a predetermined ratio: 15% to the girl, 45% to the table and café managers, and 40% to the owners.
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Modus Operandi:
This scam is part of a larger trend in metro cities like Delhi, NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. It involves collusion between cafe owners, managers, and individuals who trap victims through dating apps. These ‘table managers’ create fake profiles to lure unsuspecting victims to cafés, where they are overcharged for food and drinks. If the victims refuse to pay, they are threatened, beaten, or confined until they comply. The fear of social stigma often prevents victims from reporting such incidents.
Profiles of Key Accused:
1. Akshay Pahwa: A 32-year-old resident of Shivam Enclave, Vishwas Nagar, Shahdara, Delhi. He is a 10th class pass and one of the owners of Black Mirror Café.
2. Versha @ Afsan Parveen @ Aaysha @ Noor: A 25-year-old, 7th class pass, residing in Som Bazar, Krishna Nagar. She was involved in luring victims under false pretenses and had no previous criminal record.
Recovery:
1. Two mobile phones belonging to Akshay and Afsan.
2. The register of Black Mirror Café, which could potentially contain more evidence of similar fraudulent activities.
This incident sheds light on the sophisticated scams operating in major cities, exploiting the anonymity and trust associated with dating apps. The ongoing investigation aims to arrest other co-accused and dismantle the network involved in this elaborate extortion scheme. The public is advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities to the authorities to prevent further victimization.
