Lucknow/Rae Bareli: A cybercrime investigation in Rae Bareli has exposed an interstate gang allegedly using mule bank accounts to route money obtained through online frauds. The Cyber Crime Police Station has registered a case against four individuals after investigators found that more than ₹8 lakh linked to cyber fraud had allegedly moved through interconnected accounts.
Vulnerable People Allegedly Lured For Bank Accounts
According to investigators, the gang targeted financially vulnerable individuals and offered them commissions for opening bank accounts. These accounts were later used to receive and transfer fraud proceeds, helping conceal the source of the money.
FCRF’s Flagship Cyber Law Certification Returns With a New Four-Week Cohort
The case surfaced after suspicious transactions were flagged on the National Crime Records Bureau portal during monitoring of multiple accounts. Verification later revealed that money linked to cyber fraud had been routed through one such account.
The accused have been identified as Ramashankar of Barwa Ghorha Bhuwalpur Sisni village in Rae Bareli, Satyendra Kumar Verma of Surat Rural district in Gujarat, Pushpendra Singh of Kanpur Dehat and Amit Singh of Jhunsi in Prayagraj.
Firm Opened, Account Taken Over By Gang
During the probe, officials found that Ramashankar was facing financial hardship when he allegedly came in contact with Satyendra Kumar Verma, who introduced himself as a chartered accountant. Verma allegedly told him that large companies would transfer money into his account for GST-related adjustments and that he would earn commission on every transaction.
Ramashankar was later introduced to Pushpendra Singh. Acting on their instructions, he registered a firm named Shivansh Enterprises and opened a current account at a private bank on March 17.
Police said that on April 1, Pushpendra Singh and Amit Singh allegedly called Ramashankar to Charbagh in Lucknow, installed the bank’s internet banking application on his mobile phone and gained full access to the account. Between April 2 and April 3, around ₹3 lakh was deposited into the account and quickly transferred to several other accounts.
Police Trace Wider Cyber Fraud Chain
Ramashankar allegedly received only ₹8,000 as commission, while the remaining money was withdrawn and distributed by members of the gang. Further investigation revealed that more than ₹8 lakh linked to cyber fraud had been routed through multiple connected accounts.
Officials said the syndicate operated across several states and used fake investment schemes and other online fraud methods to target victims. The money was then circulated through mule accounts across banking channels to hide its origin and avoid detection.
Authorities suspect that more financially distressed individuals may have been recruited in a similar manner. Investigators are now working to identify additional accounts, trace other members of the network and dismantle the wider cyber fraud chain.
