Key facts
- Five individuals were arrested in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district for involvement in a cyber fraud racket.
- The racket involved suspicious transactions totaling over Rs 310 crore through mule bank accounts.
- The arrests were made as part of 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0', aimed at identifying and cracking down on cyber fraud networks.
- One bank account was linked to 193 complaints and transactions of approximately Rs 282 crore.
- Another account was linked to 97 complaints and transactions of about Rs 37 crore.
Police in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district have apprehended five individuals in connection with a significant cyber fraud operation, which involved suspicious transactions exceeding Rs 310 crore channeled through mule bank accounts. This case, described as the largest cybercrime detection in the district, is part of the state-wide 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0'.
Superintendent of Police Jaideepsinh Jadeja stated that the operation's goal is to recover funds lost by victims and to prevent the illicit practice of renting out bank accounts. The investigation began after analyzing complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) and Samanvay portals, which revealed mule accounts used for fraudulent activities.
Authorities identified Akash Pala, a resident of Veraval, as a key figure whose two bank accounts were allegedly used for cyber fraud transactions across the country. One account was linked to 193 complaints and approximately Rs 282 crore in transactions, while another was connected to 97 complaints and about Rs 37 crore. In total, 290 complaints from various parts of India were associated with these two accounts.
Following Pala's arrest, further technical analysis and interrogation led to the apprehension of four more individuals: Deepak Giri from Veraval, Hiren Rajgor and Ajay Dafda from Rajkot, and Ashutosh Thakar from Devbhumi Dwarka. Police are continuing their investigation to identify other network members and trace the flow of illicit funds. This operation follows a similar bust earlier this month in Patan district, where 14 people were arrested for their involvement in a Rs 398.43 crore cyber fraud racket.