Bhubaneswar | Odisha Police have achieved significant success under the statewide cybercrime crackdown campaign “Operation Cyber Kavach”, launched to curb digital financial fraud and online criminal networks. As part of the operation, more than 24,555 suspicious bank accounts have been verified so far. In a coordinated effort to dismantle cyber fraud syndicates, authorities have arrested 289 individuals and issued over 5,380 legal notices. Officials said the primary objective of the drive is to strengthen control over online financial crimes across the state.
According to information from police headquarters, the special campaign is being conducted in all districts through district-level cybercrime units. The operation is being supervised by senior police officers along with district SPs and DCPs. Authorities have focused particularly on identifying and disabling mule bank accounts used by cybercriminals to transfer fraudulent money.
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During the investigation process, police have detected 827 cyber fraud-related cases so far. These include 32 new cases of illegal ATM cash withdrawals, 27 cheque fraud incidents, and 18 cases involving misuse of fake SIM cards and POS machines. Officials explained that cyber criminals often use bank accounts registered in other individuals’ names to move stolen funds through multiple layers of transactions.
District-level results of the campaign have varied across regions. In Rourkela, police verified 20 suspicious accounts, registered 10 cases, and issued notices to nine individuals. In Sundargarh, 215 accounts were examined, three cases were registered, and two persons received legal notices. The Bhubaneswar UPD unit conducted verification of 306 accounts, registered two cases, and issued notices to six people.
In Deogarh and Subarnapur districts, 53 and 79 suspected accounts were verified respectively. One case was registered in each district and two individuals were issued notices. Sambalpur police examined 102 accounts, registering 14 cases related to mule bank accounts and identifying two cases involving fake SIM cards. In Angul district, 144 accounts were verified and one case linked to an old FIR was acted upon.
In Keonjhar district, 20 cases related to mule accounts were registered, revealing 28 connections associated with banking fraud. Authorities also identified incidents linked to ATM cash withdrawals and cheque fraud. Meanwhile, Ganjam and Puri districts reported the arrest of one accused each as investigations continued.
Extensive verification drives were also conducted in Cuttack, Kandhamal, and Berhampur regions. In Boudh district, 56 suspicious accounts were examined and notices were issued to all concerned individuals. In Malkangiri, two persons were arrested based on older FIR cases and six notices were issued. In Kalahandi, 11 accounts were checked, leading to the arrest of two accused persons.
Police officials said verification exercises were also carried out in Cuttack Rural, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Nuapada, Balangir, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, and Mayurbhanj districts, where hundreds of accounts were examined and legal notices were issued to suspected associates connected with the network.
Reaffirming the department’s commitment, the Director General of Police stated that Odisha Police remains dedicated to protecting citizens’ digital transactions. He added that efforts to dismantle cybercrime networks will be intensified further in the coming days. Authorities believe that making the state cybercrime-free requires a combination of technical investigation, public awareness campaigns, and swift legal action.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
