Telangana Cyber Bureau Arrests 208 Mule Account Holders in Crackdown
The bureau ran ‘Operation Crackdown 1.0’ on February 25, deploying 512 police personnel simultaneously across 137 bank branches to crack down on mule bank accounts used to route cyber fraud money: Reports
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested 208 persons who acted as mule account holders in several cybercrime cases, during a 13-day operation, Director-General Shikha Goel said in the press release on Tuesday.
The bureau ran ‘Operation Crackdown 1.0’ on February 25, deploying 512 police personnel simultaneously across 137 bank branches to crack down on mule bank accounts used to route cyber fraud money.
They verified 1,888 suspicious accounts linked to 9,451 fraud complaints from across the country, with estimated losses of around `100 crore. Police registered 549 FIRs, identified 626 suspects, and arrested 208 people, DG Goel said.
Among those arrested were 15 women, seven students, two lecturers, two bank employees, and one government employee from the electricity department. The accused ranged from software engineers and businessmen to healthcare workers and daily wage labourers, aged between 19 and 45. Most had allegedly allowed fraudsters to use their accounts for commissions of up to 5 per cent per transaction. Police seized 63 mobile phones and 208 bank passbooks and chequebooks.
Police teams working on the operations found that some account holders had opened virtual accounts using fake identities, fabricated KYC documents, and proxy mobile numbers. In Warangal, one accused had used bank accounts belonging to his own family members to move fraud proceeds. Police also identified 52 facilitators allegedly involved in recruiting account holders, arranging SIM cards, collecting ATM cards and PINs, and coordinating cash withdrawals.
Two bank employees were arrested for facilitating irregular account openings and bypassing KYC procedures. In 19 branches, more than 20 mule accounts each were found.
“Since many accounts were linked to fraud complaints from other states with no direct victims in Telangana, police invoked Section 112 of the BNS, which covers facilitation of organised crime. This is among the first large-scale uses of the provision in cyber fraud cases in the country. Concerned state police were informed for issuing of PT warrant and further action,” Goel said.
The DG further said the bureau would continue such operations and warned that allowing others to use bank accounts, even for a commission, is illegal and can lead to arrest. Further investigation is underway.