By Biswanath Dash
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha STF arrested Samim Islam S/O-Sadikul Islam, Vill/PO-Gudhia,PS/ of Murshidabad in West Bengal on 04th Dec. 2023. He was produced before Addl. Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lalbag, Murshidabad and was brought to Bhubaneswar after getting 03 days transit remand. He will be produced before the court of SDJM, Bhubaneswar.
He was one of the key members of the racket having links mainly in West Bengal and Bihar. Earlier in this case, STF PS Case No. 24/2023, U/s 419/ 420/ 465/467/468/ 471/120(B)/34 IPC r/w. 66 C & 66 D IT Act, 2000, STF arrested three scammers namely 1) Sk Hapizul , S/o. SkJafarHussain of Olamara , Barhampur PS. Rainbana Dist. Balasore at present Rasulgarh , Bhubaneswar, 2) Sk Jahangir S/o. SkJania of Olamara , Barhampur PS. Rainbana Dist. Balasore and 3) SkJamiruddin S/o. SkJamaluddin of Rampura PS. Mohanpur Dist. West Medinapur, West Bengal who were running mule bank Accounts and sold these bank accounts along with the connected mobile numbers to various Cyber, cyber-financial, sextortion scammers and other criminals based at Kolkata and other parts of India.
This racket operates mainly in the tri-junction area of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal especially in the districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, East Sighbhoom, West Singhbhoom and Saraikela.
This racket was headed by Sk Jamiruddin of West Midnapore, West Bengal. He had employed around 10-15 people at the rate of 15000/- per month to open bank accounts. These members visit various interior areas of these district targeting mainly poor villagers/ tribal and persuade/lure them for opening the bank accounts.
Villagers are generally offered Rs 2000/- per account for giving their documents and opening the bank accounts. However the mobile numbers linked with bank accounts are provided by gang members. The rate of 2000/- per account differs depending on the bargaining/ awareness level of the villager.
In turn, the gang than sell these bank accounts along with the connected mobile numbers to various Cyber, cyber-financial, sextortion scammers and other criminals based at Kolkata and other parts of India. They also use social media platform like secret WhatsApp group, Facebookpages, Telegram channel to sell the mule bank accounts. They sell mule bank accounts at the rate of Rs 15- 20,000/- per account.So far they have sold around five thousands mule bank accounts at different platforms.
It has also come to the notice that the scammers frequently change the bank accounts. Generally they abandon the bank accounts once it reaches a transaction of Rs one Lakh. Sometimes the accounts get frozen even before that by concerned banks on the request of police/ Law enforcement agencies.
