The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Mumbai has arrested an absconding accused Neeraj, in connection with a cyber-fraud case.
The CBI Mumbai, acting on specific source information and after verification had registered a case against a mule account holder; unknown cyber fraudsters; unknown bank officials and unknown others for committing a cybercrime on the allegations that an amount of Rs. 3.81 crores was received in the said mule account in a single day on 02.07.2025 from various cyber victims.
After receiving credits in the said account, the money was further transferred to more than hundred mule accounts opened pan India in first layer. The amount of cyber fraud was further transferred/ layered to thousands of accounts before reaching to actual cyber fraudsters, said a CBI official.
Crypto Commission for Co-Conspirators
During the investigation, CBI unearthed the entire conspiracy of opening of said mule account by the bankers and the middlemen without proper KYC norms or customer due diligence or initial risk assessment. The guidelines issued vide the RBI Master circular and certain internal guidelines issued by the bank have been violated.
In July, CBI also carried searches in connection with the case and during the searches, the CBI has seized several incriminating documents and digital evidences, mobile phones, iPad, Bank account opening documents, transaction details, KYC documents etc. Identification of individual including middlemen involved in opening of mule account in Mumbai, facilitating arrangements of stay of account holder at Nagpur and transferring of funds in other mule accounts through other agents of Nagpur was done by CBI.
Neeraj’s Role in the Conspiracy
It is also found that agents of Nagpur and mule account holder have received their commission in crypto currency which was further distributed among the co-conspirators, the official said.
"During investigation, it was revealed that Neeraj had managed co-accused Sudhir Palande (presently in judicial custody) to open a mule account in IndusInd Bank, in which an amount of Rs 3.81 crores, being proceeds of crime, was transferred in a single day. Neeraj further facilitated Sudhir’s travel from Mumbai to Nagpur for operating this mule account and managing the transfer of illicit funds.
Investigation and Arrest
The CBI, through sustained technical surveillance, local intelligence and physical intelligence succeeded in tracing and apprehending the absconding accused.
Judicial Proceedings
In this case, the preliminary chargesheet has already been filed and three accused persons Sudhir Palande - mule account holder and Yash Thakur - middleman and Shaurya Singh - operator from Nagpur are currently in judicial custody. The arrest of Neeraj is a significant development in further strengthening the prosecution of the case and recovery of new facts to further apprehend some unknown accused, officials said.
He was produced before the CBI special court and has been remanded to CBI custody.
