Authorities in Rajasthan say they have arrested the alleged mastermind of a cyber fraud network that moved nearly Rs 20 crore through mule accounts. The arrest, part of “Operation Cyber Sangram,” has exposed a web of forged identities, fake bank accounts, and interstate links stretching beyond the state’s borders.
Rajasthan Police Arrest Kingpin in Rs 20-Crore Cyber Fraud Network
Alwar Police announced the arrest of a man they identified as Barkat Ali, described by officials as the central figure in a cyber fraud racket that used mule accounts to move illicit funds. The case, officials said, began with a tip-off about a suspicious bank account and culminated in what they called a major breakthrough in their ongoing “Operation Cyber Sangram. Investigators said the scheme facilitated transactions worth nearly Rs 20 crore through fraudulent accounts. Ali, they alleged, maintained multiple identity documents under different addresses to open accounts later used for unlawful purposes.
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The Arrest and Seizure of Evidence
The arrest was carried out by a team led by Vaishali Nagar SHO Gurudutt Saini, who detained Ali at his rented residence. A search of the premises turned up a trove of evidence: 17 checkbooks, 14 ATM cards, five bank passbooks, several pre-signed checks, three Aadhaar cards, two PAN cards, two swipe machines, and two QR code scanners. Officials said the discovery underscored the scale of the operation. The recovered documents and devices, they added, pointed to an organized effort to create and maintain mule accounts on behalf of cybercriminal groups.
A Network Beyond Rajasthan
Preliminary inquiries suggested that Ali’s accounts were linked to at least 32 separate cyber fraud complaints across multiple states, involving a total fraud exceeding Rs 19 crore. Police officials said Ali was not acting alone but headed an organized gang that specialized in providing mule accounts to cybercriminals. Authorities believe the network’s reach extended well beyond Rajasthan, with connections to other states still under investigation. The accounts controlled by the group were allegedly used to collect and withdraw proceeds from online fraud, with the gang charging commissions for their role.
An Ongoing Crackdown
Police officials said the latest arrest represents a significant step in dismantling a broader infrastructure of organized cybercrime in the region. They emphasized that Ali’s detention is unlikely to be the last, as investigators continue to pursue other members linked to the racket.
Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses, one official said, adding that the crackdown is part of a larger strategy to target networks that provide operational support to online fraud schemes.