Kanpur | In a major breakthrough into a cyber fraud, hawala and betting-linked network, investigators have uncovered the involvement of 13 more bank officials and employees who allegedly helped channel and “clean” fraudulent money through layered transactions. The development has significantly widened the scope of the probe, with police intensifying raids across multiple districts.
According to sources, the newly identified individuals include six branch managers, deputy managers and officers from various banking departments. The role of a woman officer from a government bank has also come under suspicion, and she may soon be served a notice for questioning. Officials believe the network is not limited to a single city but operates as a well-organised system spanning several districts and possibly multiple states.
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Earlier, police in the Barra area had arrested eight individuals—including bank officials and employees—for allegedly transferring fraud money through multiple accounts. They were later sent to jail following court orders. Investigators say these accused played a key role in operating suspicious accounts, withdrawing funds and routing money further into the network.
During the action, police recovered documents linked to eight banks, papers of 24 fake GST firms, 16 mule accounts, 22 fake SIM cards and nine mobile phones. The scale of the recovery indicates that the operation was highly organised, with clearly defined roles for different members handling account creation, transaction routing and cash withdrawal.
The investigation initially began with a suspicious bank account flagged by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). The account, registered in the name of a local young man, had received funds linked to 17 fraud cases from different parts of the country. Police later turned him into a witness, and his inputs helped unravel multiple layers of the network.
Further probe revealed links to a major “digital arrest” fraud case reported last November in Navi Mumbai, where a 72-year-old businessman was duped of ₹58 lakh. Around ₹2.5 crore from similar fraud activities was routed through accounts linked to this network. During interrogation, investigators identified nearly 250 suspicious accounts operating across government and private banks in Kanpur and nearby districts.
One of the most alarming findings is that despite official instructions to freeze several suspicious accounts, money continued to be withdrawn from at least four accounts for up to seven days. This has raised serious concerns over internal controls and monitoring mechanisms within the banking system. Investigators are now examining how these withdrawals were allowed and who facilitated them.
To track down the remaining आरोपी, five special teams have been formed. Two of these teams are actively conducting searches in Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Lucknow and Agra, where several suspects are believed to be hiding. Police officials have indicated that more arrests are likely as the probe progresses.
Investigators say that cybercrime is no longer limited to technical hacking but has evolved into a complex financial crime involving insiders within the banking ecosystem. Mule accounts, fake SIM cards and shell companies are being used to quickly move funds across layers, making detection and tracing increasingly difficult.
Experts warn that such organised financial crimes highlight critical vulnerabilities in banking oversight systems. Strengthening compliance mechanisms, improving real-time monitoring and ensuring accountability within financial institutions are now essential to curb such activities.
For now, police and investigative agencies are continuing their crackdown to dismantle the network completely. More revelations are expected in the coming days, which could expose the full scale of this multi-layered fraud operation.
The case underscores a growing reality—cyber fraud has transformed into an organised economic threat. In such a scenario, stronger vigilance, institutional accountability and tighter regulatory checks remain the most effective tools to prevent large-scale financial losses.
