Varanasi: Under Operation Mule Strike, cyber crime cell and four police stations including Bhelupur, Sigra, Chetganj and Cholapur registered cases against six mule account holders.ACP (cyber crime/Sarnath) Vidush Saxena said on Saturday that with progress in investigation of 51 complaints registered on the NCRP portal, it came to light that the mule accounts were used by cyber fraudsters for transactions amounting to Rs 2.42 crore.Regarding the case registered in Bhelupur police station, Saxena said 43 complaints linked to the account of Mohammad Unaish, resident of Bajardiha, were found registered on the NCRP portal. The investigation revealed that cyber fraud of approximately Rs 2.19 crore was committed through this account. After registration of case, Rs 2.3 crore in his account were put on hold.Another case was lodged against Ajit Kumar Patel of Hardattpur, in whose account Rs 22 lakh were found deposited fraudulently, out of which Rs 6 lakh was put on hold. Complaint against Arif Jamal of Nakki Ghat was lodged with Chetganj police while Shrishish Kumar Gaud, Sikhtham Yadav and Shubham Singh were booked in another case lodged with Cholapur police station. There accounts were also used by cyber criminals to transfer and hide funds.Cyber criminals make lucrative offers to innocent persons to open bank account which they use for depositing money earned through cyber crime. Such accounts are termed mule accounts. Cyber criminals ensure transfer of money they extort from people through digital arrest, fake customer care, investment fraud, online job offers, lottery and other cyber frauds using mule accounts. After moving the amount through several accounts, it is withdrawn by the fraudsters through ATM, UPI, cryptocurrency or other means, making it difficult for investigating agencies to reach the criminals. Saxena said investigation was also in progress into 32 other bank accounts. Officials appealed to people not to give their bank account, ATM, chequebook or internet banking facility to any other person for use under any circumstances, or else they may come under the purview of legal action in cyber crime cases too.In view of rising number of incidents of cyber crimes, Varanasi police commissionerate launched a ‘Operation Mule Strike’ to take action against bank account holders facilitating cyber crime.
