Ludhiana: The cybercrime police are untangling a massive web of digital fraud following the discovery of 1,300 “mule accounts” opened within the city and used to facilitate financial crimes across India.The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) recently flagged the list to the Ludhiana police commissionerate, sparking a deep-dive investigation into the identities of the account holders and the masterminds directing them.The ‘Mule’ TrapAdditional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP headquarters) Vaibhav Sehgal confirmed that the 1,300 accounts were all registered at bank branches in Ludhiana. Cybercriminals typically do not use their own identities; instead, they recruit “mules” to act as intermediaries for illicit transactions. ADCP Sehgal has claimed that the recruitment process targets the city’s most vulnerable: labourers, daily wagers, and students — often those facing financial hardship.For a small fee, often as little as ₹500, these individuals are persuaded to open bank accounts and hand over their KYC documents, ATM cards, and net banking credentials. While the account holders receive a pittance, the accounts are used to move millions of rupees, providing the criminals with a “layer” of anonymity. Sehgal said: “We are currently collecting KYC details, email IDs, and bank statements for every account on this list. Once we have the full picture, we will track down every individual involved.”A ₹78-Cr PrecedentThe scale of the Ludhiana investigation follows a major breakthrough by the neighbouring Khanna police, who recently arrested nine members of a syndicate that allegedly siphoned ₹78 crore through similar mule accounts. The Khanna operation, led by SSP Darpan Ahluwalia, exposed a hierarchy that stretched from local “mule herders” to handlers in Dubai. In that case, account holders were paid ₹500 to open the account but were promised commissions of ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 for every fraudulent transaction processed.Legal RepercussionsThe Ludhiana police have already registered a formal case for cheating and criminal conspiracy. Officials warned that even if an account holder claims they were “unaware” of the fraud, they remain legally liable for the transactions conducted in their name. “Many only realise they are in trouble when they receive notices from the income tax department or the police,” a senior official noted, citing a recent case where a college student was flagged after high-value transactions appeared on his record. MSID:: 128716399 413 |
