Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cyber Command has launched a statewide special drive against mule bank accounts and arrested 68 key accused and suspects between December 2025 and February 2026, according to an official statement issued by Cyber Command Director General of Police Pronab Mohanty.
Mule accounts are bank accounts used by cybercriminals to illegally transfer, receive, or conceal proceeds of crime, often with the involvement of intermediaries known as mule account holders or mule herders.
The Cyber Command has carried out coordinated special operations targeting mule accounts and mule herders across Karnataka as part of its intensified crackdown on organised cyber fraud networks. The special drive has been ongoing since last week and forms part of sustained enforcement efforts to dismantle cybercrime infrastructure in the state.
During the operation, police identified and dismantled networks of mule herders — individuals who collect, control, and misuse multiple mule bank accounts — and facilitate their use by cybercriminals for fraudulent financial transactions. These mule herders were found to be procuring, aggregating, and selling mule bank accounts to cyber fraud operators involved in various online financial crimes, Mohanty stated.
A total of 68 key accused and suspects were arrested during the period from December 2025 to February 2026 as part of these enforcement actions, he added.
According to the official statement, police have registered 60 cases in connection with the mule account network and identified as many as 869 mule bank accounts used in cyber fraud activities.
A total of 8,788 complaints had been registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) against these identified mule accounts. The total amount involved in these NCRP-linked cybercrime cases is estimated at Rs 85.05 crore, while Rs 13.43 crore has been successfully put on hold by authorities to prevent further financial loss.
Police have also intensified investigative and search operations, resulting in the arrest of 68 individuals and the securing of 32 search warrants. A total of 35 search operations were conducted at various locations linked to the accused persons.
During the searches, law enforcement authorities seized 35 ATM cards, 37 passbooks, 80 mobile phones, 28 cheque books, 22 SIM cards, and 50 other incriminating items connected to cybercrime operations, the statement said.
The Cyber Command said the crackdown is part of its continued efforts to identify and disrupt financial channels used by cybercriminals and to strengthen cybercrime enforcement and financial security across Karnataka.
(IANS)
