Two bank employees, software engineers, seven students, and 15 women were among the 208 individuals arrested in Telangana for their involvement in cyber fraud activities. The operation, named ‘Operation Crackdown 1.0,’ led to the arrest of people from various professions, including lecturers and government employees. The accused were found to be part of a network facilitating cyber frauds across India.
Shikha Goel, Director of the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), highlighted the diverse backgrounds of the arrested individuals, emphasizing the widespread nature of cyber-enabled financial crimes. The suspects included bank employees from Bank of Maharashtra and Jubilee Hills Merchant Cooperative Bank, as well as software engineers, businessmen, students, and daily wage laborers. These individuals were acting as mule account holders, allowing cyber fraudsters to use their bank accounts for illegal transactions in exchange for commissions.
The operation, coordinated by TGCSB, analyzed data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to identify suspicious bank accounts in Telangana linked to cyber fraud complaints nationwide. A total of 137 police teams conducted surprise checks at identified bank branches, uncovering 1,888 suspicious mule bank accounts associated with 9,451 cases across India. The operation resulted in the seizure of mobile phones, bank passbooks, and cheque books used in cyber fraud activities.
Investigators discovered that individuals as young as 19 and as old as 45 were involved in these illegal activities, indicating a broad recruitment base across society. Some mule account holders resorted to using their family members’ bank accounts for routing cyber fraud proceeds. Additionally, police identified associates who played crucial roles in supporting the mule account network by facilitating account openings, arranging SIM cards, and coordinating fund transfers.
Two bank employees were arrested for suspected irregularities in account openings and failure to follow proper verification procedures. The operation underscored the necessity for enhanced monitoring and stringent KYC verification in the banking sector to prevent such fraudulent activities.
