Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi

Ranchi, Aug 21: In a major crackdown on cybercrime, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Jharkhand Police has uncovered one of the largest known networks of mule bank accounts used for nationwide cyber fraud, identifying nearly 15,000 fake or compromised accounts and arresting seven key operatives involved in the racket.

CID officials said the accounts were either opened with fake credentials or willingly handed over to fraudsters for commissions. These mule accounts acted as conduits to move money stolen from scam victims, making fund tracking nearly impossible.

The investigation was triggered by an FIR filed on July 29, which flagged suspicious activity in 40 accounts—each with transactions exceeding ?10 lakh. Further analysis with data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) led to the unearthing of this expansive network spanning multiple states.

The seven arrested—Roshan Kumar, Prem Ranjan Sinha, Rajendra Sao, Jitendra Kumar alias Pappu, Noorez Ansari, Satish Kumar, and Ganesh Chik Baraik—were identified as regional coordinators managing fraud-linked accounts across more than a dozen states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, UP, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal.

This bust is being called a “significant blow” to cyber syndicates operating out of Jharkhand, long known for cybercrime hotspots like Jamtara and Deoghar. Police say this latest case shows how these operations have scaled into interstate financial scams powered by mule accounts.

All seven accused are in judicial custody, and the CID has now launched a statewide campaign to freeze and block suspicious accounts while urging citizens to never share banking details with unknown persons.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities warning that a larger supplier network behind these mule accounts may still be active.