Maharashtra Cyber has identified 23,328 bank accounts allegedly linked to a ₹172 crore cybercrime network involving money mule accounts, fraudulent cheque withdrawals and ATM-based cash withdrawals, as part of a statewide crackdown on infrastructure used to facilitate financial fraud.
The drive, launched on July 1 under “Operation 1930: Cyber Safety”, has resulted in 803 proactive police-led FIRs based on intelligence and data analysis. Officials said the operation is aimed not only at individual fraud complaints but at dismantling the financial and communication systems that enable cybercrime across Maharashtra.
Thousands of Mule Accounts and ATM Transactions Identified
According to data released by Maharashtra Cyber, investigators identified 2,717 Layer-1 money mule accounts spread across 57 banks, involving disputed transactions worth approximately ₹12.57 crore.
The operation also uncovered 3,597 bank accounts allegedly connected to fraudulent cheque withdrawals. Investigators identified 2,171 bank branches associated with disputed transactions worth about ₹89.30 crore.
ATM-based withdrawals formed another major part of the investigation. Maharashtra Cyber identified 17,014 bank accounts and 10,075 ATM IDs linked to disputed transactions worth approximately ₹70.14 crore.
Investigators also flagged 5,684 bogus or suspect SIM cards allegedly linked to 7,312 cybercrime complaints. Police are verifying the users of these SIM cards as well as sellers suspected of facilitating their misuse.
Officials said the operation is targeting fraudsters, mule accounts, cash-withdrawal channels, SIM infrastructure and other facilitators that enable cybercrime. Police units across Maharashtra are carrying out verification and enforcement based on intelligence and data analysis shared by Maharashtra Cyber.
E-Zero FIR System Introduced to Speed Up Cases
Maharashtra introduced the E-Zero FIR system on July 10 to streamline the handling of cyber fraud complaints. Under the mechanism, frauds exceeding ₹5 lakh reported through the national portal are automatically converted into E-Zero FIRs and transferred to local police units.
Victims are required to visit the concerned unit and sign the electronic FIR within 72 hours.
The 1930 Cyber Helpline handles between 8,000 and 10,000 calls daily with a 100 per cent answer rate, according to the information released. More than two lakh complaints were handled across Maharashtra during the first seven months of 2026.
Officials said the statewide operation is based on centralised data analysis and profiling by Maharashtra Cyber, with intelligence shared with police units for ground-level verification and enforcement.
₹514 Crore Safeguarded, ₹25.46 Crore Restored to Victims
Timely intervention and the freezing of suspected fraudulent transactions have helped safeguard ₹514.36 crore, taking the total amount of citizens’ funds saved to more than ₹1,700 crore, according to the data.
Maharashtra Cyber has also been using its Grievance Redressal Module to address cases involving wrongful debit freezes or lien markings on bank accounts. More than 5,800 grievances have been addressed through the mechanism.
Under the Money Restoration Module, victims of cyber financial fraud can have amounts of up to ₹50,000 per account restored without a court order. Since July 1, the system has helped restore ₹25.46 crore to victims through coordinated action by police units across Maharashtra.
Officials said complaints submitted through citizens’ home bank branches are forwarded to the concerned police unit for verification and necessary action within 15 days, as authorities continue efforts to disrupt the financial and communication infrastructure supporting cybercrime.
