Tinder date turns into nightmare: IAS aspirant's meeting with a girl at Delhi cafe cost him Rs 1.2 lakh, here's what happened

In a shocking incident, an unnamed man in New Delhi became the victim of an elaborate scam orchestrated through the dating app Tinder. The man, reportedly an aspiring civil servant, was lured into a trap by a woman he matched with on the platform.

The ordeal began when the man agreed to meet Versha, his Tinder match, for her birthday celebration at the Black Mirror Cafe in East Delhi's Vikas Marg area. According to police reports, the date initially appeared pleasant. The couple ordered snacks, two cakes, and a few non-alcoholic beverages. However, things took a turn for the worse when Versha abruptly claimed a family emergency and left the cafe.

The man, unsuspecting of any foul play, finished his meal and requested the bill. To his utter disbelief, the bill amount came to a staggering Rs 1,21,917.70 – a sum far exceeding the cost of their modest order. When he questioned the exorbitant charges, he was met with threats and intimidation by the cafe staff.

Feeling cornered, the man was forced to transfer the entire amount online to one of the cafe's owners, 32-year-old Akshay Pahwa. He then immediately reported the incident to the police.

Acting swiftly, the police formed a special team led by Inspector Sanjay Gupta to investigate the case. Their probe revealed that the Black Mirror Cafe was not just an expensive venue, but a cleverly crafted scam. Akshay Pahwa, along with Vansh Pahwa and Ansh Grover, were identified as the cafe's owners. Investigations further suggested the involvement of a 'table manager,' possibly Aryan, who is believed to have contacted the victim while posing as Versha on Tinder.

During the investigation, he revealed that the Black Mirror cafe is owned by him, Ansh Grover, and Vansh Pahwa. Akshay and Vansh are cousins, while Ansh is their friend. The cafe employs several "table managers," including a man named Aryan, who is managed by Digranshu. Aryan is a Class 7 dropout and is currently unemployed.

Pahwa also mentioned Versha, a 25-year-old named Afsan Parveen, who goes by the names Ayesha and Noor. The police found Parveen at another cafe on a "date" with a man from Mumbai she had met on Shaadi.com.

Parveen revealed their method to the police. Aryan contacted the victim, pretending to be Versha. He shared Parveen's photo in one-time view mode and invited the victim to Laxmi Nagar on June 23 to celebrate her birthday.

At the cafe, Parveen pretended to have a family emergency and left quickly, leaving her date with the bill.

Each player gets a cut: 15% of the money goes to Parveen, 45% is split between the table and cafe managers, and the remaining 40% goes to the owners.

Similar schemes are active in major cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, extorting money from unsuspecting victims, according to the police.

These plans rely on a well-organized system involving cafe owners, managers, and others who target the "right" men on dating apps, the police added.

The "table managers" make fake profiles on dating apps to lure men to cafes, where they are overcharged for food and drinks, the police said. If the men refuse to pay, they are threatened, beaten, or confined until they comply.