PUNE: Police busted an alleged cyber-fraud racket in which five men procured and operated mule bank accounts to route money obtained through online frauds, cheating 19 people across India of ₹ 1.80 crore, officials said on Sunday.
The case came to light after Maharashtra Cyber, Mumbai, shared information with the Wanowrie police about complaints involving money trails through mule bank accounts allegedly linked to fraudulent transactions. The accounts were then handed over to Ankush and allegedly used to receive and route money obtained through online fraud. During the investigation, police identified five arrested suspects as Shravan Rajendra Ankush, 25, of Devachi Undri; Hariom Hariram Sahu, 24, of Salunkhe Vihar; Saud Idafan Sheikh, 23, of Yerawada; Sahil Rauf Sheikh, 25, of Yerawada; and Talib Nurmohammad Sheikh, 25, of Yerawada. Sahu allegedly paid ₹ 3,000 per account, while Ankush allegedly charged or paid ₹ 5,000 per account as part of the arrangement. A case has been filed at Wanowrie police station under sections 112(2), 61(2), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 66(b) of the Information Technology Act.
Pandit Rejitwad, senior police inspector, said Ankush allegedly acted as the main handler, while Sahu and the others helped procure bank accounts in different individuals’ names. The suspects approached people and persuaded them to open bank accounts in their own names in exchange for money, according to police. Police said account holders were paid commissions for allowing their accounts to be used.
