A couple who had been absconding for over six years after duping people by setting up a fake company was arrested by the Delhi Police, officials said on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam said the husband-wife duo had set up a company manufacturing agarbatti and kapur. They took money from thousands of daily wagers as a registration charge for jobs in the company.

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Further, the duo also deceived some of the agents by promising them money on a commission basis. The couple collectively duped victims of around Rs 50 lakh before fleeing the city, the DCP said.

A case was registered in this regard at the Economic Offences Wing police station, and a court subsequently declared both as proclaimed offenders.

During the course of the investigation, a police team received a tip-off that the accused were residing in Ludhiana to evade detention, the official said.

Acting on the tip-off, a police team raided the suspected location and arrested both accused.

On sustained interrogation, the duo confessed to the crime, Gautam added.

The arrested persons have been identified as Rakesh Sonkar and Sandeep Devi, residents of Jharia, a district in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. They are married to each other and have two children. They moved from their native city to Delhi in 2018 to earn money, the police learnt during the investigation.

Gautam stated that a case has been registered against them under the relevant sections of the BNS, adding that they would be produced before court for further legal proceedings.