New Delhi: A man's quest for a date in Delhi turned into a costly ordeal as he was scammed out of over Rs 1.2 lakh. The victim, an aspiring civil service candidate, matched with a woman named Varsha on Tinder and planned to celebrate her birthday at the Black Mirror Cafe on Vikas Marg on June 23.

Upon arriving at the cafe, the couple ordered snacks, two cakes, and Varsha drank four shots of fruit wine. However, the evening took a dramatic turn when Varsha suddenly claimed a family emergency and left abruptly. The man was then confronted with an exorbitant bill amounting to Rs 1,21,917.70, far exceeding the expected cost. When he questioned the bill, he was threatened and coerced into paying the amount online to Akshay Pahwa, a 32-year-old cafe owner from Shahdara, East Delhi.

After paying, the man rushed to a police station and filed a complaint. The police quickly arrested Akshay, who revealed that the Black Mirror Cafe is co-owned by him, his cousin Vansh Pahwa, and their friend Ansh Grover. He also disclosed that the cafe employs several "table managers," including Aryan, a Class 7 dropout. Aryan had posed as Varsha and invited the victim to the cafe. Further investigation revealed that the scam was orchestrated to split the overcharged bill among the girl (15%), table and cafe managers (45%), and the owners (40%). Afsan Parveen, also known as Aaysha or Noor, was identified as Varsha and was apprehended at another cafe. The investigation continues, with efforts underway to arrest additional suspects involved in similar schemes operating across major cities.

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