A young resident of Ahmedabad finds himself entangled in a serious legal case after a seemingly easy money-making scheme backfired. The Satellite police have registered a case against a 25-year-old man for his alleged involvement in a multi-state cyberfraud network, all because he allowed a friend to use his personal bank account in exchange for a commission.
The Trap of Easy Money and a Friend's Request
The case came to light as part of the Gujarat police's intensive 'Operation Mule Hunt', aimed at cracking down on financial cybercrime. The investigation began with an analysis of data from the national cybercrime coordination portal, which flagged a specific ICICI Bank account opened in Ahmedabad for suspicious activity. This account was allegedly used as a conduit to receive proceeds from cyberfrauds reported from various Indian states.
Upon verification, police traced the account to a 25-year-old private company employee living in Bapunagar. During questioning, the man revealed that the account was his salary account, initially opened by his employer. However, he admitted that in April of this year, a friend approached him with a proposition. The friend requested to use the account to receive online payments from external sources, promising to pay him a commission for the favor.
How the Fraudulent Transactions Unfolded
Driven by greed for quick cash, the man agreed. Police investigations revealed that approximately Rs 16 lakh was deposited into his account through multiple transactions. A significant portion of these funds was linked to specific cyberfraud complaints filed by victims in states like Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.
The accused did not stop at just providing account access. He actively participated in moving the illicit money. According to the police, he withdrew Rs 4.6 lakh in cash using cheques. He then handed over his ATM card and PIN to his friend, enabling further cash withdrawals and swipe transactions. Additionally, he transferred about Rs 2.3 lakh via UPI to other accounts specified by his friend.
Legal Repercussions and a Stark Warning
The assistant sub-inspector, Kanti Premaji, lodged the FIR on Monday based on these findings. The accused reportedly confessed to acting out of greed, lured by the promise of easy money. The Satellite police have now registered a formal case under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and abetment.
This incident serves as a severe warning to the public. Allowing anyone to use your personal bank account for receiving unknown funds is extremely risky and illegal. Law enforcement agencies are actively monitoring such transactions, and individuals can be held fully accountable for enabling financial crimes, regardless of their initial intentions or promises of commission.
