Valsad, Sep 19 (IANS) Valsad Cyber Crime Cell have arrested a man accused of using bank accounts belonging to his wife and relatives to receive and withdraw proceeds of cyber fraud totalling Rs 11,35,975, as part of ‘Operation Mule Hunt 2.0’, police said on Saturday.
Police detained the accused, identified as Rahul Kumar Chaudhary, in Ranchhod Nagar, Vapi, after an investigation into bank accounts suspected of being used as mule accounts.
The Valsad Cyber Crime team began the investigation with a detailed analysis of mule accounts.
Police found that the bank account of Khushi Kumari Nishad, a resident of Chanod in Vapi, with The Shamrao Vithal Co-operative Bank Ltd, had recorded transactions totalling Rs 1,46,96,656 between February and August 2026.
Police also found that around nine cybercrime complaints had been registered in different states in connection with the account, with cyber fraud proceeds of around Rs 6,26,879 credited to it.
During questioning, Khushi Kumari told police that she had given the bank account to her brother-in-law Rahul Kumar, who is originally from Samastipur district of Bihar.
Based on the information, police kept Rahul under surveillance and detained him for questioning.
During the investigation, it emerged that Rahul had obtained bank accounts belonging to his wife and relatives and was allegedly using them in different ways for cyber fraud.
Police said some of the fraud proceeds were transferred into the bank accounts of his wife and sister-in-law, after which Rahul allegedly went to the bank and withdrew the money himself.
Investigators also found that he allegedly used the Binance application to purchase and sell USDT and transfer cyber fraud proceeds.
The investigation also revealed that around Rs 5,09,096 in cyber fraud proceeds had been credited to Rahul’s wife’s bank account.
“Together with the Rs 6,26,879 identified in the account of Khushi Kumari, the cyber fraud amount detected in the investigation was Rs 11,35,975,” police said.
Valsad Cyber Crime Police Station has registered a case under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 318(4), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008.
Police said the investigation into the bank accounts of Rahul and other relatives and the transactions conducted through them is continuing.
Police seized two cheque books and a mobile phone from the accused. Police said the phone contained one SIM card and a Binance ID.
Police said fraud gangs use social media platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp to lure ordinary people with small amounts of money and then use their bank accounts to transfer funds. Such accounts are known as “mule accounts”.
Police advised people not to allow anyone to use their bank accounts or SIM cards on any pretext or in exchange for inducements, stating that the account holder remains responsible for any illegal use of the account.
–IANS
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