Kanpur: In a major crackdown on cybercrime under Operation Sai Vajra, the Kanpur Commissionerate Police busted an organised network of mule bank account holders and arrested 35 people from different parts of the city for allegedly allowing cyber fraudsters to use their bank accounts in exchange for commission. Police said nearly Rs 30 crore was siphoned off through these accounts in around 100 cyber fraud cases reported across the country.Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) S.M. Qasim Abidi said investigations have so far linked the accused to around 100 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), involving fraud amounting to nearly Rs 30 crore. During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted that they had handed over their bank accounts to cyber fraudsters in return for financial gains and commission.The DCP said the accused provided their bank accounts, ATM cards, cheque books and internet banking credentials to members of the cybercrime network. These accounts were primarily used to route and withdraw money obtained through online betting and gaming applications, investment scams and other cyber frauds. Police are now probing the network’s forward and backward linkages.Abidi said the arrested persons were merely the first layer of the network. “We are trying to identify the mastermind behind these accounts and trace the subsequent layers through which the money was transferred. The people who collected ATM cards and banking credentials from these account holders are being identified and verified. The main accused will also be arrested soon,” he said.Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, the cyber cell registered cases and arrested the accused under the jurisdictions of Shivrajpur, Armapur, Bilhaur, Panki, Sachendi, Araul, Kalyanpur, Rawatpur, Chaubepur and Bithoor police stations.The DCP warned that sharing bank account details or banking credentials with unknown persons is a criminal offence and said strict action would be taken against everyone involved in such activities.
