Kataka: A 32-year-old man was sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) by a JMFC court in Sambalpur district on Tuesday in a case involving the use of his bank account as a mule account in a cyber fraud case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 under Section 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The accused, Gouri Shankar Dash, was also sentenced to two years’ RI and fined Rs 10,000 under Section 112(2) of the BNS. Both sentences will run concurrently. In default of payment of the fines, he will undergo an additional two months’ RI for each fine.
The conviction came during the state-wide ‘Operation Cyber Kavach’, intensified following the directions of Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania to identify mule accounts allegedly being used to facilitate cyber fraud and take legal action against those involved.
During the investigation, Dash’s Kotak Mahindra Bank account was identified through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Police found that Rs 9,000, Rs 11,500, Rs 9,000 and Rs 4,050 had been credited to the account on different occasions, totalling Rs 33,550.
Police said Dash failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding the receipt and retention of the money in his account.
Following the investigation, Sambalpur Town Police Station Case No. 74, dated March 2, 2026, was registered under Sections 318(4), 317(2), 112(2) and 61(2) of the BNS, besides Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. Dash was arrested on the same day.
A preliminary chargesheet was filed on April 28, 2026.
During the trial, statements of five witnesses were recorded. Police also produced bank records, seizure-related documents and other relevant evidence before the court.
After examining the witness testimonies and documentary evidence, the court convicted Dash under Sections 317(2) and 112(2) of the BNS.
DGP Khurania appreciated the scientific investigation, evidence collection and legal action taken by Sambalpur Police in the case.
He reiterated the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy of Odisha Police against persons involved in cyber fraud and those facilitating such crimes by providing or operating mule accounts.
Khurania also expressed satisfaction over the increasing rate of convictions within a short period following the implementation of the new criminal laws, saying they have made crime investigation and legal proceedings more effective.
Odisha Police said its campaign against cyber fraud and the network of mule accounts used to facilitate such crimes would continue across the state.
