Hyderabad, March 10 (NationPress) - In a significant crackdown, the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has apprehended 208 individuals, including two bank employees, software engineers, seven students, and 15 women, as part of a state-wide initiative targeting mule accounts linked to cyber fraud across India. This operation, named 'Operation Crackdown 1.0', commenced on February 25 and has led to the filing of 1549 FIRs, the identification of 626 suspects, and the arrest of 208 accused.

Among the detained are two lecturers and a government employee from the Electricity Department. Shikha Goel, the Director of TGCSB, emphasized that the arrested individuals represent a wide array of professional and societal backgrounds, underscoring the pervasive nature of cyber-enabled financial crimes.

The arrested include personnel from the Bank of Maharashtra and Jubilee Hills Merchant Cooperative Bank, alongside software professionals, entrepreneurs, private sector workers, health practitioners, students, and daily wage earners. Most of the accused acted as mule account holders, allowing cyber fraudsters to utilize their bank accounts in exchange for commissions of up to 5% on each fraudulent transaction processed through their accounts.

This operation was meticulously designed by TGCSB, relying on cyber fraud data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to pinpoint suspicious bank accounts in Telangana linked to complaints from various regions across the country.

In a historic simultaneous initiative, 137 police teams comprising 512 personnel conducted surprise inspections at 137 identified bank branches throughout Telangana, examining 1,888 suspicious mule bank accounts associated with 9,451 cases nationwide, which collectively incurred an estimated financial loss of around Rs 100 crore.

During the operation, authorities confiscated 63 mobile phones along with 208 bank passbooks and cheque books that were being utilized for cyber fraud activities. The age range of the accused spans from 19 to 45 years, indicating that individuals from diverse societal strata are being enticed or enlisted into these illegal operations. Investigators discovered that some mule account holders had established online or virtual bank accounts using fake identities, forged KYC documents, and proxy mobile numbers, enabling fraudsters to operate covertly and transfer funds swiftly through multiple accounts.

In Warangal, one mule account holder was identified as having exploited bank accounts registered under family members' names to channel cyber fraud proceeds. Subsequently, police also uncovered 52 associates and facilitators who played pivotal roles in sustaining the mule account network. Their activities encompassed recruiting individuals to open bank accounts, arranging SIM cards, collecting ATM cards and PINs, providing access to online banking credentials, and coordinating cash withdrawals or fund transfers once fraudulent funds were deposited.

Notably, two bank employees have been arrested by TGCSB HQ Police Station and Komaram Bheem Asifabad Police Station due to their alleged involvement in facilitating unauthorized account openings and not adhering to proper KYC verification protocols. In 19 bank branches, over 20 mule accounts were detected, indicating a pressing need for enhanced monitoring and stricter KYC compliance within the banking sector.