Rourkela police arrest two for interstate cybercrime mule account racket

Bondamunda Police in Rourkela, Odisha, have arrested two individuals, Sheikh Aman (22) and Yashraj Singh (24), for their involvement in an interstate syndicate that facilitated cybercrime through mule bank accounts.

According to Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani, the duo operated under instructions from handlers based in Patna, Bihar. The syndicate targeted unemployed youths and common citizens, luring them with promises of money or jobs to open bank accounts, current accounts, and obtain SIM cards using their personal documents. The accused would then collect ATM cards, passbooks, and SIM cards to sell to cybercriminals for between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per account set.

Investigations revealed that the accounts provided by the duo were linked to at least 20 cybercrime complaints across multiple Indian states, including Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Police identified that out of 21 accounts opened in Rourkela, illegal transactions exceeding Rs 25 lakh had been processed through four specific accounts. Authorities seized various items during the raid, including mobile phones, an Apple iPhone, a scooty, and several bank documents. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the flow of fraudulent proceeds and identify other participants in the racket.