Berhampur Cyber Police station – Major Breakthrough in Inter-State Cyber Fraud; Two persons , Uncle and Niece Arrested for Operating Mule Account Network Linked to Rs 1 Crore Fraud – Operation Cyber Kavach

In a significant crackdown on cyber-financial infrastructure as a part of the ongoing Operation Cyber Kavach the Berhampur Cyber Crime & Economic Offences (CC & EO) Police have busted a syndicate specializing in the creation and operation of “Mule Accounts.” These accounts served as the primary conduits for laundering stolen funds across a nationwide Cyber criminal network.

During investigation of Berhampur Cyber PS Case No. 93, Dt. 26.11.2025, involving several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology (I.T.) Act , it was found that more than 8 Mule accounts were being operated in the names of relatives of the two accused persons where money swindled by Cybercriminals from innocent victims  throughout the country were deposited and transferred. Total victim’s swindled money amounts to around ₹1 crore over a period of one year since 2025.

 ACCUSED PERSONS :

Berhampur Cyber police have apprehended two individuals involved in the procurement and management of these accounts:

Satya Narayan Dash (51 years), S/o: Lokanath Dash, resident of Goutamnagar-11th Lane, Berhampur (PS: Nimakhandi).

38 yr old  Female Accomplice (neice of Satya Narayan Dash).

III. MODUS OPERANDI & INVESTIGATION FINDINGS :

The investigation revealed that the accused managed 8 specific “Mule Accounts” which were systematically used to layer and integrate “black money” into the legal financial system. After opening the bank accounts , accused persons have given their accounts Pass books, ATM cards, Cheque books to the Cybercriminals. Cybercriminals used these “Mule accounts” in their criminal activity

Financial Impact:

 Preliminary audits show fraudulent transactions exceeding ₹1 Crore processed through these eight accounts alone.

National Footprint:

The data indicates these accounts are linked to cybercrimes reported in over 30 Police Stations across the whole of India in several states including Karnataka (Whitefield, Tumakuru, Belagavy), Telangana (Hyderabad, Cyberabad), Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh,  Maharashtra (Mumbai, Pune, Ahmadnagar) and Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Surat), West Bengal (Bidhannagar, Maniktola), Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh.

The accused have been booked under the following sections for their role in the conspiracy:

BNS Sections: 318 (Cheating), 336 (Forgery), 340 (Using forged documents), 61(2) (Criminal Conspiracy), and 3(5) (Joint Liability).

I.T. Act Sections: 65 (Tampering with computer source documents) and 72 (Penalty for breach of confidentiality and privacy).

*ADVISORY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC*

The Berhampur Police remind citizens that being a “Money Mule”—even if done out of ignorance—is a serious criminal offense.

1. Guard Your Identity: Never open a bank account on behalf of another person.

2. Protect Credentials: Do not share your ATM card, PIN, or OTP with anyone, regardless of the excuse provided.

3. Beware of “Easy Commissions”: Criminals often offer small payments to use your account to “transfer funds.” This is a trap to involve you in money laundering.

4. Legal Risk: Allowing your account to be used for illegal transactions can lead to the freezing of all your personal assets and a permanent criminal record.

Report Suspicious Activity: If you believe your account is being misused, call the National Cybercrime Helpline at 1930 or report online at www.cybercrime.gov.in.