Gandhinagar, Gujarat | In a major crackdown under Operation Mule Hunt 2.0, the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCOE), Gujarat, has arrested four accused from Ahmedabad and Surat in connection with separate cybercrime investigations. The probe has uncovered an organised network allegedly involved in laundering proceeds of online fraud through mule bank accounts, misusing the banking system and facilitating large-scale cybercrime. Officials said that 55 accused have been arrested during the past month, with investigations linking them to cyber frauds worth more than ₹802 crore across the country.
Investigators said the accused allegedly arranged and operated bank accounts that were used by cybercriminals to receive, transfer and conceal money generated through online fraud. Analysis of data available on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) identified 1,117 cybercrime complaints linked to these accounts.
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In one case, Vishal Sureshbhai Dodiya, a resident of Vastral in Ahmedabad, was arrested. Investigators alleged that he registered a firm named Chamunda Communication using fabricated documents and opened three bank accounts in the firm’s name. The accounts were allegedly handed over to members of a cybercrime syndicate for routing proceeds of online fraud. Examination of the accounts revealed 253 cybercrime complaints involving alleged fraud exceeding ₹161 crore. The complaints originated from 22 states and Union Territories, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal.
In another investigation, Mohammad Khaliq Ghulam Hussain (40) and Shoyab Gulab Nabi Rana (38), both residents of Surat, were arrested. According to investigators, the duo was part of a conspiracy in which hackers gained unauthorised access to the Bhavnagar District Co-operative Bank servers and core banking system, manipulated electronic records and created fictitious account balances. Investigators alleged that ₹7.34 crore was transferred to multiple bank accounts, causing substantial financial losses to the bank. The two accused allegedly operated and managed the accounts used to route the funds.
In a third case, Afzal Pir Mohammad Mansuri, a resident of Gomtipur in Ahmedabad, was arrested. Examination of mobile phones seized during the investigation led investigators to 197 bank accounts, of which 60 accounts were allegedly linked to 132 cybercrime cases across India involving approximately ₹53.55 crore in fraudulent transactions. Investigators alleged that Mansuri acted as an account operator and facilitated the withdrawal and laundering of money generated through cyber fraud. Ten accused have already been arrested in this case and remain in judicial custody.
Commenting on the case, renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said organised cybercrime syndicates are increasingly relying on mule account networks to rapidly move stolen money through multiple bank accounts, making investigations more complex. He advised citizens never to allow their bank accounts to be used by others, warning that account holders may face serious legal consequences if their accounts are used for cybercrime.
Investigators are continuing efforts to identify additional members of the syndicate, trace the complete money trail and recover the proceeds of crime. Officials said further investigation is expected to uncover more individuals, financial links and operational details connected to the organised cybercrime network.
