Odisha police arrest four in international cybercrime network bust

Police in Balangir, Odisha, have dismantled an organized cybercrime network involved in investment fraud. Four individuals—Prakash Sharma, Sunny Barve, Prasanna Kumar Nag, and Jubaraj Deep—were arrested for allegedly operating a mule-account network used to route and withdraw fraudulent proceeds.

Investigators discovered that the gang utilized foreign-routed WhatsApp Business virtual numbers, specifically originating from the Philippines, to coordinate operations, share bank credentials, and issue instructions for fund transfers. The network allegedly layered cheated money through multiple business-entity bank accounts before withdrawing the funds in cash.

The operation was initiated following intelligence from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Ministry of Home Affairs' Samanvay portal. Authorities seized mobile phones, cheque books, passbooks, and debit cards during the arrests. Police are continuing investigations to identify the ultimate beneficiaries and dismantle the network's broader digital and financial infrastructure.