Bhubaneswar: Intensifying its fight against cybercrime, Odisha Police has carried out a sweeping statewide crackdown under its special campaign ‘Operation Cyber Kavach’, targeting benami bank accounts—commonly known as mule accounts—used to facilitate online financial fraud.
In the latest phase of the operation, police teams across districts verified a total of 304 such accounts suspected to have been used for cyber fraud. The coordinated drive resulted in the registration of 17 new cybercrime cases and the arrest of 20 accused persons allegedly linked to these fraudulent transactions. In addition, legal notices were issued to four suspicious account holders and individuals believed to have assisted cybercriminal activities.
Keonjhar district recorded the highest number of verified mule accounts at 203. Police there registered six cases and arrested seven accused persons in connection with the probe. In Sambalpur district, 63 benami accounts were verified, leading to eight cases and the arrest of 13 accused. Boudh district police verified four mule accounts, registered two new cases and issued legal notices to four persons. Puri district police verified seven such accounts, while in Nabarangpur district, verification of suspicious accounts led to the registration of one new cybercrime case.
The operation was carried out by district cyber teams under the direct supervision of the respective Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police. Officials said the primary objective of ‘Operation Cyber Kavach’ is to dismantle the financial backbone of cybercriminal networks by identifying and freezing accounts used to channel illicit funds.
Reaffirming its commitment to digital security, Odisha Police stated that the campaign would continue with sustained intensity to protect citizens from the growing menace of cyber fraud.
