Haridwar Police have busted an interstate cyber fraud syndicate operating across Uttarakhand and Bihar, arresting five men during a late-night vehicle interception. Preliminary investigations into seized digital devices and bank records have uncovered suspicious banking transactions exceeding ₹2.75 crore.
Law enforcement officers recovered a massive inventory of illicit operational gear from the suspects, including 35 ATM cards, 14 bank passbooks, 17 SIM cards, 18 mobile phones, two laptops, and ₹37,500 in cash.
A Routine Check Exposes Massive Syndicate
The crackdown unfolded on the night of August 25 near Sajjanpur Peeli in the Shyampur police station area. Acting on targeted intelligence regarding cybercrime operatives moving through the corridor, police intercepted a white Swift car traveling from Chidiyapur.
Inside the vehicle, officers detained five suspects and seized a bag containing dozens of bank passbooks and digital hardware. The passbooks spanned several major public and private sector banks, including State Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Bank, and Nainital Bank.
Investigators confirmed that these accounts were opened or operated across Haridwar, Kankhal, Rishikesh, Dehradun, and neighboring districts.
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The Mule Account Pipeline: From Local Cash to Bihar Handlers
During interrogation, the arrested suspects revealed the inner workings of their mule account aggregation network. The syndicate systematically procured activated bank accounts, passbooks, ATM cards, and registered SIM cards from local residents, paying account holders up to ₹8,000 for their credentials.
The syndicate retained complete control over the associated PINs, internet banking passwords, and UPI handles. Stolen proceeds from various cyber frauds across India were deposited into these intermediary accounts, rapidly layered through secondary transfers, and withdrawn as physical cash via ATMs.
The group operated on a strict 10 per cent commission structure. The remaining funds, along with banking credentials, SIM cards, and account data, were funneled directly to key handlers based in Nalanda and Nawada in Bihar.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Krishna Pandey (Nalanda), Niranjan Kumar and Chandramani Kumar (Nawada), and Sunny and Chandan Pandey (Haridwar).
Digital Forensics to Unravel Multi-State Fraud Web
A forensic examination of the seized mobile devices and laptops revealed extensive WhatsApp logs containing shared bank account numbers, primary account holder names, live QR codes, and transaction confirmation screenshots.
Uttarakhand Police are sending special investigative teams to Bihar to trace the primary handlers and map out the broader money-laundering ecosystem. Investigators are also cross-referencing the seized account details against the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to link the ₹2.75 crore transaction trail to specific victims nationwide.
What this means for you: Selling or renting your bank account, passbook, or SIM card for quick cash renders you an active accomplice in financial cybercrime. Law enforcement agencies freeze mule accounts immediately, leaving account holders liable for criminal prosecution, asset seizure, and permanent banking blacklists
