Kanpur | In a major crackdown on cybercrime, the Rawatpur police in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur have arrested two alleged cyber fraudsters from the Keshavpuram area, exposing a wider interstate scam network linked to fraudulent financial transactions worth nearly ₹14 crore. The accused were reportedly operating as key facilitators in a “mule account” racket used to channel proceeds of cyber frauds across multiple states.
According to police officials, the arrested individuals have been identified as Sumeet Kashyap and Naveen Srivastava. Sumeet, a resident of Pirod in Sisamau, is a Class 12 pass, while Naveen, from Karnalganj, studied up to Class 10. Both were allegedly living in a rented accommodation in Keshavpuram and operating under instructions received through the Telegram messaging platform.
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Investigators revealed that the duo was actively involved in supplying mule bank accounts to a cybercrime syndicate operating across India. These accounts were being used to route money obtained through fraudulent schemes, including fake stock market investments, online gaming platforms, and high-return profit scams. Police have identified five bank accounts linked to the racket, which together show suspicious transactions running into crores of rupees.
Officials said that these accounts have received multiple complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), with at least 13 separate grievances registered against them from victims across 13 states. The financial trail suggests that these accounts were repeatedly used to collect and distribute proceeds from various cyber fraud operations.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) S. M. Qasim Abidi stated that preliminary investigation shows a total transaction volume of approximately ₹14 crore across the five identified accounts. One of these accounts was reportedly opened in the name of Sumeet Kashyap at a private bank branch on Birhana Road in Kanpur. This single account alone is linked to eight cyber fraud complaints, while the remaining four accounts are associated with five complaints.
Police further disclosed that the entire network was being controlled by a Delhi-based mastermind identified as ‘Tomar’. The arrested accused allegedly supplied him with mule accounts in exchange for monetary commission. Tomar is currently absconding, and multiple police teams have been deployed to track him across different states.
During interrogation, investigators also uncovered a separate fraud case linked to the same network. The gang is believed to have cheated a Shyamnagar-based engineer of ₹97 lakh by luring him into a fake forex trading investment scheme promising high returns. The victim reportedly transferred funds from personal savings as well as from family and friends into the accounts provided by the accused.
Police officials stated that the group primarily used encrypted platforms like Telegram to coordinate operations, making detection and tracking significantly more challenging. Early findings suggest that the network may have a wider footprint across several states, with additional suspects likely to be identified in the coming days.
Cybersecurity experts describe mule accounts as one of the most critical components of modern cybercrime ecosystems. These accounts allow fraudsters to rapidly move stolen funds across multiple layers of transactions, making it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace or recover the money.
Experts also warn that such networks often recruit young individuals from smaller towns by offering easy money, exploiting their lack of awareness about financial crimes. Once recruited, they are used as intermediaries to open and manage fraudulent bank accounts.
Authorities have confirmed that both accused are currently in custody and are being interrogated in detail. Their mobile devices, bank records, and communication logs are being analyzed to identify further links in the network.
Officials added that the investigation is still in its early stages, and more arrests and disclosures are expected as the probe deepens into the wider cyber fraud ecosystem operating across India.
