In continuation of the on-going efforts to combat Cyber Crime and Digital Arrest Scams, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) acting on specific source information and after verification has launched coordinated searches at 42 locations across 05 States namely Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh as part of Operation Chakra-V to deal with the menace of mule bank accounts being opened by organized cyber fraudsters involved in digital arrest scams, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, investment frauds and UPI-based financial frauds to transfer the cyber fraud amounts from the accounts of the victims.
These cyber fraudsters are being helped by the commissions and omissions of certain bank officials, agents, aggregators, bank correspondents, middlemen and e-Mitras who are facilitating in opening of mule accounts used for receiving and transferring proceeds of cyber frauds as well as enabling withdrawals from such accounts.
CBI has initially registered an enquiry to unearth the entire conspiracy of opening of mule accounts, the role of the bankers and the middlemen and to understand the existing bank’s rules and guidelines. Enquiry revealed that more than 700 branches of various banks across India have opened around 8.5 lakhs mule accounts.
These accounts were opened either without proper KYC norms or Customer Due Diligence or Initial Risk Assessment. The branch managers of the banks have also failed to conduct Enhanced Due Diligence in respect of certain suspicious transaction alerts generated by the systems. Some of the banks have also failed to send the acknowledgment/ thanking letters to customers to indirectly verify the addresses of the account holders.
The guidelines issued vide the RBI Master Circular and certain internal guidelines issued by the banks have been violated. Hence, a FIR has been registered for offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, use of forged document as genuine under IPC/BNS and also offence of criminal misconduct by bank officials under Prevention of Corruption Act.
During the searches, several incriminating documents and digital evidences, mobile phones, Bank Account Opening Documents, Transactions Details, KYC documents have been seized and identification of individuals including middlemen involved in opening of mule bank account was done.
Further 9 accused have been arrested who include middlemen, agents, aggregators, account holders, and bank correspondents for their involvement in the operation and facilitation of opening of mule bank accounts.
The action is part of ongoing commitment of Government of India to sternly deal with Cybercrimes and its perpetrators with a special emphasis on dismantling the infrastructure behind such offences. The arrested accused are being produced before the court. Investigation is continuing.
