The Indore Crime Branch has arrested a man after tracing a suspected mule bank account through which transactions worth around ₹1.50 crore were allegedly carried out.
The action was taken under Operation Matrix, a police initiative targeting cyber fraud. Investigators say the account may have been used to route funds connected to cybercrime cases reported across 15 states.
The arrested account holder has been identified as Abhishek Tiwari, a resident of Himalaya Colony on Ganesh Nagar Road in Indore.
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Account Flagged by Agencies Across Several States
The Crime Branch received information about the bank account from police and investigative agencies in different states.
Investigators then examined the account’s deposits, withdrawals and connected bank accounts. The transaction pattern raised suspicion because of the substantial amount of money moving through the account and its possible links to cyber offences.
According to police, preliminary examination has identified transactions worth around ₹1.50 crore. Investigators are now checking banking records to determine the source of the funds and the purpose of the individual transactions.
The exact amount allegedly connected to cyber fraud will become clearer as the investigation progresses.
Links Found to Cyber Fraud Cases in 15 States
The investigation has so far found links between transactions through the account and cybercrime or financial fraud complaints registered in 15 states.
These include Delhi, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana.
Investigators are matching complaints from these states with the account’s transaction history. The aim is to establish which fraudulent transactions were routed through the account and how the money moved afterwards.
The wide geographical spread is also prompting investigators to examine whether the account was part of a larger network rather than being used for a single fraud.
Police Now Tracing Where the Money Went
The next stage of the investigation is focused on the movement of funds.
Police are examining which accounts deposited money into Tiwari’s account and where the funds were transferred afterwards. These transactions could help investigators identify other people involved in the suspected network.
Another question is the extent of Tiwari’s own involvement. Investigators are examining whether he personally operated the account or whether he allowed another person or group to use it.
This distinction can be important in cyber fraud cases involving mule accounts. Merely identifying the account holder does not by itself establish who controlled every transaction or whether the account holder knew the money was connected to fraud.
Why Mule Accounts Matter in Cyber Fraud
Cybercriminals often need bank accounts to receive and move money obtained from victims. Accounts belonging to other people can be used as an intermediate point before the money is transferred again.
Such accounts are commonly referred to as mule accounts. In some cases, account holders allegedly provide access to their accounts in return for commissions or other benefits.
Once money passes through several accounts, tracing the original fraud proceeds can become more difficult. This is why investigators examine the complete transaction chain rather than stopping at the first account that received the money.
Cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh has said that identifying mule accounts can help investigators understand the larger movement of fraudulent funds. Investigators also need to establish who operated an account, whether the account holder was aware of the transactions and where the money ultimately went.
In the Indore case, investigators are now questioning the arrested account holder while examining banking records and cybercrime complaints from the 15 states.
The investigation will determine whether the ₹1.50 crore in suspicious transactions was connected to a larger organised cybercrime network and identify the people who allegedly controlled or benefited from the movement of the funds.
What this means for you: Never allow another person to use your bank account to receive or transfer money in exchange for a commission. An account used to route fraud proceeds can become part of a police investigation even when the account holder claims not to have committed the original fraud.
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