Operation Mule Hunt 2.0: Rs 622 crore cyber fraud detected, 40 held in Gujarat​

Gandhinagar, April 22 (IANS) More than Rs 622 crore linked to cyber fraud has been detected and 40 people arrested in the past month under Operation Mule Hunt 2.0, the Cyber Centre of Excellence of Gujarat’s CID Crime said on Wednesday, outlining the scale of a network that used mule bank accounts to move illicit funds.​

Police said the operation also identified 1,039 cyber fraud complaints and exposed a wider network involving over Rs 288 crore.​

According to the officials, the accused opened bank accounts in their own names and in the names of others on commission, used them for personal financial gain, concealed their identities, and knowingly handled money generated through cyber offences.​

The funds were deposited into accounts, converted into cash, and transferred through angadia (hawala) channels, with the accused earning commissions and assisting each other in the transactions.​

The CID Crime said the intensified operation was undertaken following instructions from Director General of Police, CID Crime and Railways, K.L.N Rao, and Inspector General of Police (Crime-4), Bipin Ahir, in view of the rise in cyber crime.​

A team was formed under the supervision and guidance of Superintendents of Police (SPs) Rajdeepsinh Zala, Sanjaykumar Keshwala, and Vivek Bheda, and raids were carried out in Surat, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, and Unjha based on specific inputs, leading to arrests.​

In Surat and Bhavnagar, police said that verification of bank accounts on the NCCRP portal showed 181 cyber fraud complaints registered across the country and 81 FIRs in different states, involving an estimated Rs 1,74,63,70,855 (Rs 174.63 crore).​

Two accused, Mukesh Mer (23) and Faridkhan Pathan (22), both residents of Bhavnagar, were arrested. Police seized four mobile phones and one laptop.​

Analysis of the devices revealed details of 125 firms, identification documents of 65 individuals, and 868 fake invoices.​

In Unjha, police said that bank account details recovered from the accused were linked to more than Rs 114 crore in cyber fraud, and 125 cases were registered across the country on the 1930 portal.​

Two accused, Akshay Patel and Devendra Patel, were arrested.

“Akshay opened multiple bank accounts in his own and firms’ names and withdrew fraudulent money to hand it over to others, while Devendra opened accounts in his own and friends’ names through other persons and earned commission. Two mobile phones were seized,” officials said.​

In Rajkot, police said that checks on the NCCRP portal showed 26 cyber fraud complaints across the country and one FIR registered in different states, involving over Rs 59,79,345 (Rs 59.79 lakh).​

Four accused were arrested: Chetan Amlani, 28; Jatin Kakkad, 41; Kapil Kotak, 34; and Mahendra Kohkiya, 42, all residents of Rajkot.​

Police said the offences involved multiple forms of cyber fraud, including online financial fraud, internet banking fraud, UPI-related fraud, demat and depository fraud, investment fraud, and deposit fraud.​

Six mobile phones and cash worth Rs 40 lakh were seized from them.​

Officials said the accused, “by helping each other, illegally obtained bank accounts of different firms on commission, used them for personal financial gain, concealed their identity and knowingly handled cyber crime money.”​

Issuing a public advisory, CID Crime said, “Do not share your bank account details with anyone due to greed or temptation,” and added, “The account holder is responsible for money received in the account; do not give your bank account for commission.”​

–IANS

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