Sikar | A significant cyber financial fraud case has been uncovered in Rajasthan’s Sikar district, where approximately ₹15.82 lakh, allegedly linked to cybercrime activities in Tamil Nadu, was routed into local bank accounts and subsequently withdrawn using cheques. The case has highlighted the growing misuse of mule accounts in organized cyber fraud networks across India.
The cyber police station has registered a case under “Operation Mule Hunter” and initiated proceedings under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act. Two individuals, identified as Vikas Kumar from Shyampura and Manmohan Singh Rathore from Ramleela Maidan, have been named in the FIR and are under investigation.
FCRF Academy Launches Premier Anti-Money Laundering Certification Program
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Jivanlal Khatri, the investigation was initiated based on intelligence inputs received from the State Cyber Crime Wing. Preliminary findings revealed that the accused had opened a current account under a firm named “Shyam Enterprises” at UCO Bank’s Ghantaghar branch in Sikar. This account was allegedly used as a conduit for routing illicit funds.
Investigators found that the money deposited into this account originated from two separate cyber fraud cases in Tamil Nadu. In the first incident, linked to Erode district, ₹5 lakh was transferred into the account on January 19, 2026. Shockingly, the entire amount was withdrawn on the same day through cheque transactions.
The second case is connected to Namakkal district, where ₹10,82,450 was transferred into the same account on January 20, 2026. Out of this amount, ₹9.90 lakh was withdrawn on the same day. In total, ₹15.82 lakh was routed into the account within two days, with most of the funds quickly liquidated.
Officials stated that the pattern clearly indicates the use of a structured mule account system, where fraudulent funds are rapidly moved through multiple accounts to obscure the financial trail and evade detection by law enforcement agencies.
DSP Khatri further noted that initial evidence suggests the accused may be part of a larger cybercrime syndicate operating across multiple states. Such networks typically involve different layers of operatives, including individuals who receive stolen funds and others who withdraw and redistribute the money.
Investigators are now scrutinizing bank KYC documents, mobile numbers, transaction logs, and cheque clearance records to trace the full flow of funds. Authorities are also examining whether additional accounts linked to the accused were used in similar transactions.
Cybercrime officials explained that mule accounts are increasingly being used by fraud networks to convert digital proceeds of crime into cash. These accounts are often opened using fake or borrowed identities and are quickly abandoned after transactions are completed.
The police emphasized that this case reflects a broader national challenge, where cybercriminals exploit gaps in banking verification systems and use unsuspecting individuals or low-level operatives to move illicit money.
Both accused have been booked and further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the network. Authorities believe that more arrests may follow as financial trails are being mapped across multiple states.
The case once again underscores the rapid evolution of cyber fraud ecosystems in India, where organized networks are leveraging banking infrastructure to launder stolen money at scale, making detection increasingly complex for enforcement agencies.