Mumbai: Social media influencer arrested for stealing follower's phones

Accused Malik seen exiting the mall with the phone in CCTV footage

A social media influencer, accused of stealing her follower's cell phones, was arrested by the police. She allegedly created fake profiles using attractive women's photos to boost her followers. Needing a high-resolution camera phone for her photos, she resorted to stealing her followers' phones.

The Bangur Nagar police arrested Sumaiyya Munir Malik, 24, two months after she allegedly stole an expensive phone from a man she met at a Malad West mall. The complainant, a 27-year-old relationship manager from Thane, met Malik on Instagram. Their interactions extended to WhatsApp chats and phone calls, and they decided to meet at a mall.

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During the meeting, Malik arrived with a female friend. After a brief breakfast, her friend left abruptly after an argument. Malik, pretending to make a call, disappeared with the complainant's OnePlus phone worth ₹35,000. The complainant then borrowed a phone and tried to contact her only to find the number switched off. When attempts to contact her failed, he reported the theft to the police.

Under the guidance of senior official PSI Mahesh Kendre, along with police constables Sanjay Gavle, Sandeep Tikande, and woman police constable Manisha Mahadik, an investigation began. CCTV footage showed Malik boarding an auto-rickshaw, but efforts to trace it were fruitless. Details of the missing phone were uploaded to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) website, alerting the police when a new SIM card was inserted.

Tracking Malik proved to be challenging since she wore a burkha most of the time. She was eventually caught in the Malwani area in Malad, confessing to the theft. Another phone was seized from her possession, acquired using the same tactics. From a modest background, Malik faced charges under sections 406, 420, and 34 of the IPC and was remanded to police custody after appearing in court.

When asked about the female friend, Malik claimed limited knowledge, saying they had only recently met. She was actively involved in creating multiple fake identities on Instagram, boosting her followers by using attractive profiles unconnected to her real self.