Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on cybercrime, the Odisha Police have intensified ‘Operation Cyber Kavach’, a statewide drive targeting mule (benami) bank accounts used in digital fraud. Under the supervision of Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania and the direct oversight of District SPs and DCPs, District Cyber Crime Units are actively investigating fraudulent accounts and taking strict legal action against perpetrators.
Since the launch of the campaign, 11,155 benami accounts have been verified across Odisha. Of these, 480 cases are linked to bank fraud, 11 to ATM money theft, 18 to cheque fraud, and 9 to fake SIM or PoS transactions. So far, 238 accused persons have been arrested, and 3,059 suspicious account holders and accomplices tied to both new and old FIRs have been issued legal notices.
District-wise, Cuttack Police examined 51 mule accounts, registered two cases, and issued notices to 10 persons, while Jagatsinghpur Police verified 107 accounts, registered cases, arrested one accused, and issued notices to 10 others.
Other districts have also acted against benami accounts, including Jajpur (58), Kendrapara (175), Khordha (118), Puri (44), Balangir (34), Jharsuguda (188), Subarnapur (6), Kendujhar (52), Rourkela (130), Sundargarh (15), Balasore (310), Cuttack UPD (2), Ganjam (85), Kandhamal (11), Debagarh (105), Nuapada (22), and Rayagada (1). Each of these accounts has been investigated, with cases registered, arrests made, and legal notices issued accordingly.
In addition, police in Nayagarh, Sambalpur, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Brahmapur, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Nabarangpur have verified mule accounts linked to old FIRs and taken necessary legal action.
DGP Khurania reiterated that the Odisha Police remain committed to securing citizens’ digital transactions. He added that the campaign will be further intensified in the coming days, aiming to make Odisha free from cybercrime.
