New Delhi: Delhi Police has dismantled an organized mule bank account racket operating across India, arresting 10 individuals accused of procuring and supplying bank accounts to cyber fraudsters for routing proceeds of online scams. The syndicate primarily targeted unemployed and financially vulnerable individuals who had come to Delhi in search of work.
Investigation Triggered by Kerala Fraud
The investigation was initiated after a Kerala resident was duped of Rs 2 lakh in an online fraud. “During the probe, police traced the money to a mule account maintained with a private bank. Further financial trail analysis revealed that the account was part of a larger network supplying bank accounts to cyber criminals for receiving and routing proceeds of online scams,” said DCP (East) Rajeev Kumar.
Kingpin's Modus Operandi
Police identified Vijay Kumar (31) as the kingpin. He allegedly operated two clothing stores in Laxmi Nagar, which were used as a front to lure job seekers. According to police, unemployed youths responding to job advertisements were offered employment at the stores with salaries ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. Recruits were asked to complete banking formalities for salary disbursal. However, instead of providing legitimate employment, the accused allegedly collected their documents and used the credentials to open bank accounts. These were later converted into mule accounts and sold to cyber fraudsters across the country.
Victims Unaware of Fraud
The arrested account holders told investigators they were unaware that their banking credentials were being used for cyber fraud. They believed they were completing paperwork for genuine employment and were paid the promised salaries. During the probe, police examined account holder Yogendra Kumar, who revealed that his account had been opened through Vijay on the pretext of a job offer. Technical analysis, scrutiny of bank transactions, mobile phone data, and field verification subsequently exposed the wider network.
Arrests and Recoveries
The arrested accused have been identified as Vijay Kumar (31), Pradeep Kumar (42), Yatender Kumar (23), Mukesh (24), Vinesh (37), Gurbaj Singh (27), Aman (27), Suraj Yadav (24), Gaurav Nahar (22), and Laxman (33). Police recovered 11 POS machines, 27 cheque books, 17 ATM cards, and 12 mobile phones used to operate mule accounts and facilitate the transfer and withdrawal of fraudulent proceeds.
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