Gujarat: Cyber fraud ring busted in Kutch, Rs 44 cr transactions found

East Kutch Police, under 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0', have busted a cyber fraud syndicate, uncovering transactions worth Rs 44 crore across 105 mule accounts. Four arrests have been made, with the network's operations traced across India and Sri Lanka.

The East Kutch District Police has busted a cyber fraud network under the state's ongoing "Operation Mule Hunt 2.0", recovering details of multiple suspicious bank accounts linked to transactions worth around Rs 44 crore, officials said on Wednesday.

Operation Mule Hunt 2.0 and Arrests

Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police (East Kutch) Sagar Bagmar said the operation was initiated based on specific intelligence inputs and human intelligence gathered by the Cyber Crime Police Station. "The Gujarat government has recently launched 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0'. Under this initiative, the Cyber Crime Police Station of the East Kutch District Police has been conducting investigations and taking action," Bagmar said.

He added that, acting on credible inputs, police teams managed to detain members of an interstate cyber fraud syndicate. "Acting on human intelligence and specific information received, a gang has been apprehended; four individuals have been arrested so far," he said.

Massive Financial Fraud Uncovered

According to the police, a large cache of digital financial data was recovered during the investigation, revealing the scale of the alleged fraud network. "Information regarding approximately 105 'mule accounts' was recovered from them, revealing transactions totalling around Rs 44 crore across various accounts," Bagmar stated.

Interstate and International Links

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the accused were using mule accounts to route proceeds of cyber frauds committed across multiple states. Authorities have also flagged possible international links. "Preliminary findings indicate that victims from various states across the country were defrauded, and the network also operated internationally, with some activities traced to Sri Lanka," he added.

Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation

An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. While four accused have been arrested, four others remain absconding. "The Cyber Crime Branch is currently investigating the registered case, and further action will be taken based on facts that emerge during the probe," Bagmar said.

Police officials said efforts are underway to trace the remaining accused and map the wider financial network involved in the cyber fraud operation. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)