Hyderabad: Telangana police have busted a large network of mule bank accounts used to funnel proceeds from online frauds across the country. The statewide drive, carried out under ‘Operation Crackdown 1.0′, has so far led to the registration of hundreds of cases and the arrest of more than 200 people, including bank staff who allegedly helped open fraudulent accounts.As part of the operation, police registered 549 FIRs and arrested 208 offenders, including two bank employees. Most of the cases were booked in the three city commissionerates, followed by Khammam and Suryapet districts. On March 10, TOI reported how several young men from villages in the Kodad sub-division had become mule account suppliers, depending entirely on commissions from the illegal activity for their livelihood. According to Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) director general Shikha Goel, the operation began on Feb 25 and involved 137 special teams that verified 1,888 bank accounts flagged by the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). These accounts were linked to 9,451 cyber fraud complaints involving losses of around ₹100 crore. Based on the probe, police identified 626 suspects and arrested 208 of them, including 15 women, seven students, two lecturers and a govt employee, for opening or facilitating mule bank accounts. Two bank employees from Hyderabad and Asifabad were also arrested for allegedly bypassing KYC norms and helping create such accounts. During the operation, police seized 63 mobile phones along with 208 passbooks and chequebooks from the accused. Shikha Goel said the operation reflects the TGCSB’s zero tolerance approach towards cybercrime networks operating from the state. “No mule account network will be allowed to operate from Telangana to cheat victims anywhere in India. Further investigation is underway to trace handlers, fund flow chains, and larger interstate cybercrime networks,” she said. Investigators say mule accounts are often opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals or those willing to rent out their bank accounts for a commission. These accounts are then used by cyber fraudsters to move and withdraw money siphoned off from victims across different states. 20 accounts in each branchAccording to TGCSB officials, investigators found that in 19 branches of various banks, more than 20 mule accounts were opened in each branch, with operators collecting a five per cent commission on the amount routed through the accounts. Police also cited a case from Warangal where an accused used the bank accounts of his own family members for the illegal activity. A similar pattern was noticed in Kodad town, where police registered 30 FIRs related to mule accounts. Investigators have so far identified 52 facilitators who were involved in recruiting account holders, supplying SIM cards and managing the withdrawal or transfer of the fraud proceeds. Officials said most of the mule accounts traced in Telangana were linked to cyber fraud cases reported in other states. Police have invoked section 112 (petty organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the accused and informed the respective state police for execution of prisoner transit warrants.
