Bhubaneswar: In a significant verdict, the Khallikote JMFC Court has convicted five persons in a Mule Bank Account fraud case in Ganjam district and sentenced them to three years imprisonment.
The convicts have been identified as Sushant Sahu, Sudam Patra, Prithvi Sahu, Bimal Kumar Sahu and Pradeep Das. They have been convicted under Section 318(2)/3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.According to police, a case was registered at Beguniapada police station in connection with the fraud.
The accused were luring youths to open bank accounts by offering free travel opportunities and financial benefits. Later, they collected their ATM cards, passbooks and other personal documents and used those accounts as Mule Accounts to carry out illegal money transactions. Purushottampur SDPO S.K. Nayak investigated the case.
During the investigation, information related to accounts and money transactions was collected from various banks. Police also seized mobile phones, laptops, ATM cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, cheque books and hotel bills.
In this case, the court convicted the accused based on the statements of nine witnesses.
Odisha Police said legal action against misuse of bank accounts, money transactions through mule accounts and financial fraud is ongoing and strict action will be taken against persons involved in such crimes and the network operating mule bank accounts as per law.
