Chhatarpur Police Unravel Interstate Network Involved in Mule Bank Accounts and Rs 28 Lakhs Fraud

Police Crack Down on Cybercrime Network

The Madhya Pradesh Police are actively combatting cybercrime, with the Chhatarpur police recently arresting seven individuals in two separate operations. These arrests have exposed a significant interstate cyber fraud network, with investigations revealing connections to approximately Rs 35 crore in cyber fraud facilitated through mule bank accounts.

In one case, three individuals were apprehended for operating a mule bank account network and acting as kiosk operators. Authorities seized 20 bank passbooks, 23 ATM cards, and 104 SIM cards from them. In a separate incident, four individuals were arrested for a Rs 28 lakh online fraud, with Rs 38,000 cash and Rs 1.50 lakh in funds frozen.

Mule Bank Account Network Exposed

Acting on a tip regarding mule bank accounts near the Rajnagar Road Fourlane Overbridge, the Kotwali police arrested one person. A search yielded 20 bank passbooks from various banks, 23 ATM cards, 104 SIM cards, and 2 mobile phones, all of which were seized.

Initial investigations indicate that these seized items are linked to cyber fraud cases amounting to approximately Rs 35 crore, registered across multiple states including Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Punjab. The accused allegedly lured individuals to collect their bank accounts, providing fake SIM cards for these mule accounts to facilitate fraudulent transactions.

The network's involvement was also found in a cyber financial fraud case of approximately Rs 37.80 lakh against a woman in Tamil Nadu, where a portion of the stolen funds was transacted through these accounts. Police have arrested three individuals in this case, including the provider of mule bank accounts and a kiosk operator, and are searching for other accomplices.

Rs 28 Lakh Online Cyber Fraud Busted, Four Arrested

In another significant case registered at Khajuraho police station, an applicant reported an online cyber fraud of Rs 28 lakh. The fraudsters had promised to double money by inflating ratings on the Telegram app. Recognizing the gravity of the offense, police formed a special team to analyze technical evidence, bank accounts, communication channels, and online transactions.

The investigation identified a gang from Goteagon, Narsinghpur district, as being involved in this fraud. The police promptly apprehended four accused individuals, seizing ATM cards, 2 mobile phones used for opening bank accounts, and Rs 38,000 in cash. Additionally, Rs 1.50 lakh in the relevant bank accounts has been frozen.

It was discovered that the accused rented bank accounts through advertisements on Instagram. They would deposit cyber fraud proceeds into these accounts, immediately transfer them to other accounts, withdraw the money, and convert it into cryptocurrency. Analysis of the technical tools and bank accounts used by the accused has revealed suspicious cyber transactions totaling approximately Rs 80 lakh.

These transactions are linked to nearly 50 cyber complaints registered in various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The investigation also indicated connections to networks in West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra.

Ongoing Investigation and Public Awareness

Chhatarpur police are interrogating the arrested individuals in both cases to gather detailed information about other persons involved, mule bank accounts, fake SIM cards, suspicious bank transactions, and the interstate network. A thorough technical investigation is underway to trace the flow of funds from cybercrimes and identify associated accounts.

The Madhya Pradesh Police urge citizens not to share their bank accounts, ATM cards, SIM cards, banking information, or any other financial assets with anyone under any pretext. Using such accounts for cybercrimes can lead to legal action against the account holder. Citizens are advised to immediately report cybercrimes by calling 1930 or registering a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.