In a significant crackdown on organised cybercrime, the Delhi Police has apprehended eight individuals across two separate cases in north Delhi. The accused are alleged to be key players in rackets that supply mule and corporate bank accounts to cyber fraudsters, enabling the laundering of cheated funds.
First Case: The Part-Time Job Fraud Racket
The first operation led to the arrest of three men identified as Himanshu Sharma, Chatra Abhijeet Lamba, and Sahil Joshi, all hailing from Rajasthan. This case came to light after a resident of Malka Ganj in north Delhi filed a formal complaint. The victim stated he was cheated of approximately Rs 1 lakh.
The modus operandi involved the fraudsters contacting the complainant on social media with a lucrative work-from-home offer. After luring him into joining a channel and receiving small initial payments, he was persuaded to transfer around Rs 93,000 to various bank accounts for so-called 'paid tasks' before realizing it was a scam.
Following the registration of the case, a technical investigation was launched. "Technical analysis of call detail records, IMEI data, and bank transaction trails led us to the accused," revealed a senior police officer. Based on this digital evidence, raids were conducted in Jaipur and Alwar, resulting in the three arrests.
Police investigations uncovered that the accused were actively supplying bank accounts complete with SIM cards and net banking credentials to cyber fraud operators. In return for this service, they received a commission ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 25,000 per account.
Second Case: The Multi-Account Money Disposal Network
In a parallel but separate investigation, the police arrested five more individuals. They have been identified as Mannu (23) of Burari, Ajay (25) of Khari Bawli, Aniket (22) and Ganesh Rathi (25) of Loni in Ghaziabad, and Parveen (22) of Begumpur.
This racket was busted after police analyzed multiple complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP). The analysis showed that funds from various unrelated fraud cases were being funneled through a common set of bank accounts. One such account was held at a public sector bank's branch in Burari.
The accused in this case allegedly used their own accounts and also arranged for other mule and corporate accounts to layer the illicit transactions and withdraw the money. "The accused used these accounts to layer transactions and withdraw money through ATMs and cheques. Social media platforms were used to coordinate with handlers," the investigating officer added.
Evidence Seized and Ongoing Efforts
During the raids conducted across locations, the police recovered substantial digital evidence. The seized items include six mobile phones and six SIM cards, which are being forensically examined to trace further connections in the cyber fraud networks.
These arrests highlight a growing trend where organised groups are creating a supply chain for financial infrastructure used in cybercrime. The mule accounts act as a critical buffer, making it exceedingly difficult for law enforcement to trace the stolen money back to the masterminds.
The Delhi Police's cyber cell continues its probe to identify and apprehend the higher-level fraud operators who used these supplied accounts. The public is once again advised to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited online job offers and requests for money transfers to unknown accounts.
