Berhampur: A 36-year-old man from Chhattisgarh has been arrested for allegedly operating at least five ‘mule’ bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting residents of Berhampur, police said on Saturday.
According to Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M, the accused — a native of Bhilai in Durg district — opened the accounts in three private banks in the city in April 2023. These accounts were reportedly used to channel illegal financial transactions amounting to nearly ₹10 lakh to date.
“Mule accounts” are bank accounts misused by cybercriminals to move money generated through unlawful activities, often without the knowledge of the account holders. During the arrest, police seized bank passbooks, cheque books, ATM cards, and mobile phones from the accused.
Investigators said the man has a history of involvement in cybercrime networks across several states, including Haryana (Rohtak and Gurugram), Uttar Pradesh (Kotwali), and Rajasthan (Hanumanagar).
The breakthrough came as Berhampur police examined 346 mule accounts flagged on the Samanvaya portal of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs. While scrutinising these accounts, a police team traced the Chhattisgarh-based accused.
Further inquiry revealed that the man had visited his relatives in Berhampur two years ago and convinced three local individuals to open bank accounts, promising them jobs in a finance company. Trusting his claims, they provided their identity documents and account details, which were later misused for money laundering by cyber fraudsters.
Police said verification of other suspected mule accounts is underway and further links are being explored.
