Rourkela: A 43-year-old man was arrested by Chhend police on Wednesday for allegedly operating a mule current account that received more than Rs 3 crore from suspicious sources and was linked to cyber and cryptocurrency fraud.The accused was identified as Manoranjan Mishra, a resident of MIG-II-328 under Chhend police station limits.Police launched an inquiry based on an NCRP complaint regarding a suspicious bank account and fraudulent transactions. During verification, a team, led by ASI R R Samal, found that a current account at public sector bank in Chhend Housing Colony branch was being used for illegal financial activities. The account was traced to Mishra.Mishra was detained and interrogated. Police said he confessed that the account belonged to him and that he had opened it on June 12, 2024. He admitted that the purpose of the account was to receive and route fraud money. Bank records showed that between June 14, 2024 and March 20, 2025, a total of Rs 3,48,99,202 was credited to the account from suspected sources.According to investigators, Mishra could not explain the source of the huge deposits. Preliminary findings indicated that the account was not opened for legitimate banking activities but was deliberately created for receiving, layering and dissipating proceeds of cyber fraud. Police also discovered that 96 complaints related to this account had been filed on the NCRP portal from different states across India.Further investigation revealed that the mule account was linked to cryptocurrency fraud, in which people across the country had allegedly invested large sums and were duped. The proceeds from this fraud were routed through Mishra’s account, police said.Chhend police have registered a case based on ASI Samal’s report. He is also accused of conducting online RTGS transfers through the same account. Police seized a mobile phone, two SIM cards, an Aadhaar card and other documents during the investigation.“Further investigation is underway to identify others involved in the racket,” B K Singh, inspector in-charge of Chhend police station, said.
