Mumbai Police have arrested Ankur Meena, the alleged mastermind behind a sophisticated dating app scam that targeted men in nightclubs. The 26-year-old was apprehended following a thorough manhunt led by Cyber In-charge Assistant Police Inspector Vivek Tambe and Police Sub-Inspector Rohan Patil.
Meena was tracked down to the IP Royal Hotel in Anand Vihar, Delhi, where he had been evading capture by frequently changing locations. Police collaborated with Delhi’s Anand Vihar police to conduct extensive searches in hotels within the Shahdara area.
Despite his arrest, Meena has been partially uncooperative, revealing only some of the clubs in Mumbai involved in the scam. According to reports, he created fake profiles on dating apps, posing as women to lure victims to pubs and bars. Once at the venue, an accomplice would order excessive food and drinks, leading to inflated bills that the intoxicated victims were pressured to pay.
Meena’s operation spanned several cities, including Delhi, Goa, Jaipur, and more, before he expanded to Mumbai, Pune, and Thane. His family, unaware of his criminal activities, has a respectable background, with his father serving as a school principal.
The police suspect that Meena collaborated with pub staff, sharing the extorted money. One victim reported being coerced into paying a ₹40,000 bill after being manipulated by a woman he met on a dating app.
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