5 held in Pune for operating mule bank accounts, ₹1.80 crore linked to 19 fraud victims

Pune police busted an alleged cyber-fraud racket involving five men who operated mule bank accounts used to route ₹1.80 crore from 19 victims across India.

The Wanwadi police have 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, police said on Sunday.

Five men were held in Pune for allegedly procuring mule bank accounts used to route ₹1.80 crore obtained through online frauds from 19 victims.

The case came to light after Maharashtra Cyber, Mumbai, shared information with the Wanwadi police about complaints involving money trails through mule bank accounts allegedly linked to fraudulent transactions. During the investigation, police identified five suspects.

Police identified five suspects — 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.

Senior police inspector Pandit Rejitwad said Ankush allegedly acted as the main handler, while Sahu and the others helped procure bank accounts in the names of different individuals.

“Ankush allegedly acted as the main handler of the racket, while Sahu and others allegedly helped procure bank accounts in the names of different individuals. The suspects opened bank accounts using KYC documents and handed them over for use in online frauds,” Rejitwad said.

According to police, the suspects approached people and persuaded them to open bank accounts in their own names in exchange for money. The accounts were then handed over to Ankush and allegedly used to receive and route money obtained through online fraud.

Police said account holders were paid commissions for allowing their accounts to be used. Sahu allegedly paid ₹3,000 per account, while Ankush allegedly charged or paid ₹5,000 per account as part of the arrangement.

The investigation so far has established that ₹1,80,15,795 belonging to 19 victims from different parts of India was credited into the bank accounts allegedly operated by the gang, police said.

The Wanwadi police are investigating the case further and searching for other suspects allegedly linked to the racket.