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Cyber fraud: UP Police expand probe into Kheri mule-account network
Officials at the Cyber Crime headquarters in Lucknow said the Cyber Crime police station in Lakhimpur Kheri conducted a raid on May 15, during which investigators uncovered a massive cache of SIM cards, ATM cards, cheque books and identity documents allegedly used to operate fake and rented bank accounts for cyber crime operations.
Days after arresting 12 accused from Lakhimpur Kheri in an alleged interstate cyber fraud racket, Uttar Pradesh Police have intensified investigations into what officials describe as a large mule-account and digital identity network used to facilitate online financial fraud across multiple states.
Officials at the Cyber Crime headquarters in Lucknow said the Cyber Crime police station in Lakhimpur Kheri conducted a raid on May 15, during which investigators uncovered a massive cache of SIM cards, ATM cards, cheque books and identity documents allegedly used to operate fake and rented bank accounts for cyber crime operations.
According to investigators, the gang allegedly targeted poor, unemployed and financially vulnerable individuals by offering commissions, temporary jobs and easy-money schemes to obtain their Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, bank passbooks, ATM cards and SIM cards.
Police said the accounts were later converted into “mule accounts” used to receive and transfer money generated through cyber frauds, making it difficult for investigators to trace the original beneficiaries.
“The accused allegedly created layers of bank transactions using rented and fake accounts to conceal the movement of fraud money. Complaints linked to these accounts have surfaced from multiple states,” a senior officer associated with the probe said.
Officials said the network functioned as a backend support system for cyber criminals by supplying disposable bank accounts, activated SIM cards and digital identities used in various online scams.
During the operation, police recovered 1,494 SIM cards, 180 ATM cards, 277 cheque books, 112 Aadhaar cards, 26 debit and credit cards, five passbooks, four PAN cards, 11 duplicate Aadhaar cards and a fingerprint scanner device allegedly used for biometric verification and account-related operations.
Investigators also seized 27 stolen mobile phones, 61 keypad and Android mobile phones, ₹61,000 in cash and an unregistered car (Hyundai Venue) allegedly being used by the gang for operational movement.
Police suspect that many of the recovered SIM cards and banking instruments may have been procured using forged documents or through individuals unaware of the scale of the alleged fraud operations.
Following the arrests, cyber investigators are now conducting forensic analysis of seized mobile phones, banking records and digital transaction trails to identify additional associates, account operators and possible links with larger interstate cyber fraud syndicates.
The arrested accused belong to Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur and neighbouring districts. Officials said more arrests are possible as scrutiny of financial records and digital evidence progresses.
Police are also examining whether the network had direct links with organised online fraud modules involved in investment scams, OTP fraud, digital arrest scams and fake customer-care operations reported from different parts of the country.
