Pune, October 4: Wanowrie Police have arrested five people for allegedly providing mule bank accounts to cybercriminals to transfer money obtained through online fraud. Police said their investigation has linked the network to the cheating of 19 people across India, involving nearly ₹1.80 crore.
The arrested accused have been identified as Shravan Rajendra Ankush (25), Hariram Hariom Sahu (24), Saud Idafan Shaikh (23), Sahil Rauf Shaikh (25), and Talib Noormahammad Shaikh (25). The accused are residents of Uruli Devachi, Salunke Vihar, Yerawada and surrounding areas.
The investigation began after the Maharashtra Cyber Department received information that mule bank accounts were being used to route money obtained through cyber fraud. Acting on the information, Wanowrie Police traced several transactions in which money defrauded from victims in different states was deposited into bank accounts linked to the accused.
Police identified Shravan Ankush as the alleged mastermind. Investigators said he, with the help of Sahu, arranged for associates to open bank accounts using fake documents. These accounts were then allegedly handed over for receiving and transferring money obtained by cybercriminals.
According to police, Ankush allegedly lured associates with a commission of ₹5,000 for each transaction carried out through the accounts. The accounts were subsequently used for transactions involving large sums of money.
Police said the investigation has so far established that 19 people from different parts of the country were cheated of ₹1.80 crore. The probe is continuing to identify other transactions, people involved in the network and possible links with cybercrime groups operating outside Pune.
The accused were produced before a court, which remanded them to police custody. Investigators are now examining the bank accounts, transaction records and documents allegedly used to create the mule accounts.
The action was carried out by a team led by Wanowrie Police officials under the direction of Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajlaxmi Shivankar and Assistant Commissioner Ramdas Ingawale.