A Delhi Police constable posted with the North District Cyber Cell has been arrested for his alleged role in the kidnapping of a shopkeeper and a subsequent ransom demand, police said on Monday.
The accused has been identified as Moin Ali, a 29-year-old constable of the 2024 batch belonging to Budhana in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. He was arrested on Sunday, October 19, 2026, along with at least one associate by a team from Kotwali police station in the North District. Following his arrest, Ali was suspended from service and sent to judicial custody.
According to police, the case came to light after information was received about a kidnapping and ransom demand. Technical intelligence and other inputs during the investigation helped trace the involvement of the cyber cell constable. Some reports indicate that police are still searching for two additional suspects linked to the case, while the investigation into the roles of all those involved continues.
The alleged incident took place in the Lal Quila (Red Fort) / Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi, specifically around Ghadi Market. Police accounts state that Ali, along with a childhood friend identified as Sonu (who also operates a shop in the same market) and an associate named Akhtar, targeted a local shopkeeper.
Sonu is said to have known that the victim had recently recorded good sales and proposed extorting money from him. On Sunday morning, the accused allegedly approached the shopkeeper, lured him near a car, and forced him inside. He was then taken to different locations while ransom demands were made to his family or friends.
Hindi media reports name the victim as Ravi (or Ravi Dubey), described variously as a watch seller or street vendor operating in the area, and cite a ransom demand of around ₹1.5 lakh. One detailed account from Hindustan Times indicates that the initial plan was to demand ₹5 lakh, which was later negotiated down during calls.
A friend of the victim refused to pay and alerted the police through PCR on Sunday evening. Police then laid a trap. The accused were called near New Delhi Railway Station to collect the money, where Ali and an associate were arrested on Sunday night. The victim had already been released by then and reached home safely.
The case has drawn attention because of the involvement of a serving police personnel posted with the cyber cell. Officials have confirmed that the investigation is examining the full circumstances of the abduction and the roles of all accused. The constable’s suspension and judicial custody followed standard procedure after the arrest.
This incident follows other recent cases involving Delhi Police personnel in criminal activities, including a May case in which a constable was among those arrested in a robbery in the Bara Hindu Rao area. Police have not issued a detailed official statement beyond confirming the arrest, suspension, and ongoing probe.
