Ahmedabad: Naranpura police have registered a case against a resident of Old Vadaj for allegedly renting his bank account to cyber fraudsters in exchange for a commission. This action was taken as part of the state-wide Operation Mule Hunt 2.0.
Case Registration and Investigation
The complaint was filed on Tuesday by Assistant Sub-Inspector Milankumar Kirtibhai, based on an investigation into bank accounts suspected of being used for routing proceeds from cyber fraud. Police said that data shared through the Samnvay portal, developed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), helped identify suspicious accounts operating from Ahmedabad.
Account Linked to Multiple Frauds
During scrutiny, investigators found that a bank account belonging to Sanjay Techandbhai Nanakram Tolani, 39, had been linked to 16 cyber fraud complaints. These complaints were registered across multiple states, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Haryana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.
According to police, the account recorded transactions totaling Rs 99.4 lakh and was cited in complaints involving online investment and other cyber fraud schemes. Investigators said that victims from different parts of the country had allegedly transferred money into the account after being lured by fraudsters.
Accused's Confession
During questioning, Tolani allegedly told investigators that he had opened the account in October 2025 for operating an online clothing business under the name Linknova Trade. However, he admitted that between October 8 and October 16, 2025, he handed over control of the account to Vipul Verma in return for a commission.
Police said that by allowing others to use the account, Tolani became part of a network that helped cybercriminals receive and transfer proceeds of crime. Such accounts, commonly known as “mule accounts”, are frequently used to layer and disperse illegally obtained funds, making it difficult for authorities to trace the money trail.
Legal Action and Further Investigation
Based on the findings, Naranpura police have booked Tolani under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and organized criminal activity. Investigators are now working to identify and trace other members of the network.
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