Patna Cyber Police have arrested 10 people after uncovering an alleged interstate network that used altered Aadhaar details to open bank accounts for suspected cybercrime transactions.
Police say members of the gang brought people from other states to Patna and changed the addresses recorded on their Aadhaar cards.
The modified identity documents were then allegedly used to open accounts across different banks.
Once the accounts were operational, the gang allegedly took control of the associated ATM cards, cheque books, passbooks and other banking instruments.
Investigators suspect the accounts were being used to receive, move and withdraw money linked to cyber fraud.
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Technical Analysis Led Police to the Network
The arrests followed a technical investigation by Bihar’s Cyber Crime and Security Unit.
Police analysed suspected cybercriminal activity, digital connections and the wider network before carrying out the operation.
The investigation allegedly revealed a system in which people from outside Bihar were brought into Patna and their identity documents were modified before bank accounts were opened in their names.
Police have not yet disclosed how many such accounts were created or the total amount that passed through them.
That financial trail is now part of the investigation.
Aadhaar Addresses Were Allegedly Changed Before Accounts Were Opened
According to investigators, changing the Aadhaar address was an important part of the operation.
A person brought into Patna could allegedly be given an address that made the identification documents appear locally consistent when a bank account was opened.
The account itself would remain in that person’s name.
But police suspect that control over the account and its banking instruments was subsequently transferred to members of the gang.
This type of arrangement can make it more difficult to immediately identify the people who ultimately control or benefit from suspicious transactions.
82 Cheque Books and 64 ATM Cards Recovered
The scale of the banking material recovered during the raids is one of the most significant aspects of the case.
Police seized 38 mobile phones, 82 cheque books, 76 bank passbooks and 64 ATM cards.
Nine SIM cards, nine PAN cards and 17 Aadhaar cards were also recovered.
Investigators additionally seized a driving licence, voter identity card, pen drive and scooter.
The number of cheque books, passbooks and ATM cards is now being examined against individual bank accounts and suspected cybercrime transactions.
Police Suspect Accounts Were Used to Move Fraud Proceeds
Investigators believe the bank accounts may have been used as channels for receiving and withdrawing money generated through cyber fraud.
Such accounts are commonly described as mule accounts when they are controlled or used by criminals to receive stolen money while the account is formally registered in somebody else’s name.
Police have not yet publicly established that every recovered account was used as a mule account.
The seized banking records are therefore being analysed to determine which accounts received suspicious funds, how quickly the money moved and where it ultimately went.
Why Bank Accounts Matter to Cybercrime Networks
Online fraud does not end when a victim transfers money.
Criminals still need somewhere to receive those funds.
Using an account directly linked to the main fraud operator creates an obvious trail for investigators.
Cybercrime networks therefore often rely on layers of accounts belonging to other people.
Money can be moved from one account to another before being withdrawn in cash or transferred through other payment channels.
This makes the banking infrastructure behind a scam almost as important as the scam itself.
Identity Documents Can Become Part of the Fraud Infrastructure
The Patna case also highlights the role of genuine identity documents in creating allegedly fraudulent financial infrastructure.
Police are not alleging that every Aadhaar card recovered was fake.
Instead, the investigation centres on claims that genuine identity details were altered, particularly addresses, and then used during bank-account opening.
That creates a different challenge from simply printing a fake identity card.
An account opened against apparently valid documents may initially look legitimate to a financial institution.
Investigators must then determine who actually controlled the account after it was opened.
Phones and Pen Drive Could Reveal Wider Links
The 38 seized mobile phones are being subjected to technical examination.
Investigators are expected to look at call records, messaging applications, contacts, financial applications and other digital evidence.
The pen drive recovered during the operation is also being examined.
Police will attempt to connect the digital evidence with bank-account records and identity documents.
That could help identify other account holders, intermediaries or cybercrime operators linked to the network.
Interstate Links Are Now Under Investigation
Police have described the operation as an interstate cyber fraud network because people from other states were allegedly brought to Patna for the account-opening process.
Investigators are now examining where those individuals came from and how they were recruited.
Communication records and banking transactions may also reveal whether cybercrime groups operating outside Bihar used the accounts.
No complete map of the interstate network has yet been publicly disclosed.
Banks May Face Questions Over Account Opening
The investigation could also turn toward the processes used to open the accounts.
If dozens of accounts were created using modified addresses and later handed over to third parties, investigators will need to determine whether normal know-your-customer checks were followed.
That does not by itself mean bank employees were involved.
No such allegation has been publicly established in the available police account.
But investigators may examine where the accounts were opened, whether common addresses or phone numbers were used and whether unusual patterns should have triggered additional scrutiny.
Total Cyber Fraud Amount Has Not Been Disclosed
Police have not yet announced how much suspected cybercrime money moved through the accounts.
That is an important limitation in the case at this stage.
The large number of recovered banking instruments indicates the possibility of a wider financial network, but it does not by itself establish the value of the fraud.
The financial analysis will need to match individual accounts against complaints, transactions and withdrawals before a reliable amount can be established.
FIR Registered at Patna Cyber Police Station
An FIR has been registered at Patna Cyber Police Station under relevant provisions.
Police are questioning the arrested accused and continuing their examination of the electronic devices, bank records and identity documents seized during the operation.
Investigators are also attempting to identify additional people who may have helped alter identity information, open accounts or move money.
The allegations against the arrested individuals remain subject to investigation and court proceedings.
What this means for you
Never allow another person to open, operate or “rent” a bank account in your name in exchange for money. Even if you did not personally commit the original online fraud, an account used to receive stolen funds can become part of a cybercrime investigation and may expose you to serious legal and financial consequences.
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