Pramesh S Jain
Highlights of the Operation:
• Simultaneous raids were carried out at more than 29 Districts in various locations across the state on 5th and 6th February 2026.
17 FIRs registered.
13 Accused have been arrested.
25 ATM Cards,13 Cheque books,12 mobile phones and other items were seized during the raids.
The raids are continuing, and more FIRs and arrests are likely to happen for the next 2 days.
Continuing investigations into the special operations against Mule bank accounts,the Cyber crime police have registered 17 FIRs related to bank account hoarders across Bengaluru city,booking 14 accused for their alleged involvement in cyber fraud-related financial operations.
The police are also probing the possible role of State Level Bankers’Committee (SLBC) and action will be initiated based on the investigations.
Director General of Police,State Cyber command centre,Pronab Mohanty addressing Media said that the SLBC,which coordinate banking development and implement government-sponsored schemes within each Indian state.
Comprising representatives from commercial banks, regional rural banks,and state government officials are supposed to monitor the velocity of the transactions and should flag unusual transactions to the authorities concerned.Failing on their job amount to negligence and will be held accountable .
Explaining about the operation against the mule account network Mr.Mohanty,termed it as a major crackdown which unearthed a large network of so-called “mule herders”involved in facilitating cyber frauds across the state.
The operation revealed the misuse of over 42,000 mule bank accounts,leading to the arrest of 13 key masterminds,he said.
According to the him,the accused allegedly collected personal identity documents and banking details from individuals—often by paying them between Rs.10,000 and Rs.20,000—to gain access to their bank accounts.
These accounts were then used as“mule accounts”for routing money obtained through cyber frauds.
The mule herders acted as retail agents,supplying or renting out these bank accounts to other cyber criminals.
The accounts were used for various illegal activities, including online scams, illegal betting operations,and so-called “digital arrest” frauds.
Investigators noted that many mule account holders were unaware that their bank accounts were being used for fraudulent money transfers,exposing them to serious legal and financial consequences.
As part of the special drive,simultaneous raids were conducted in more than 29 districts across Karnataka on February 5 and 6,2026.
So far,17 FIRs have been registered,and 25 ATM cards, 13 cheque books,12 mobile phones,and other incriminating materials have been seized.
In Bengaluru City Central CCPS,one accused— Dharmapal H.G.(39)—was booked for allegedly allowing his bank account to be used for fraudulent transactions.
The Bengaluru City East CCPS registered case against four persons,including Suhail Pasha,Aqeel Pasha, Mohammed Muzammil,and Jitendra Kumar,for their alleged role in operating mule accounts.
Meanwhile,Bengaluru City South CCPS booked Mohan Kumar in connection with a similar offence.
In Kolar district,three accused—Juned Pasha,Majeed Madini,and Shaheed Alam Khan—were booked for allegedly facilitating cyber fraud by providing bank accounts.
Two accused from Tumakuru district—Chandrashekar N.S.and Ramakiran—were booked,while Shivamogga district CCPS booked Sharthkumar K.S.
Police said mule accounts are commonly used by cyber fraudsters to route illegally obtained money,making detection difficult.
Investigations are underway to trace money trails and identify larger fraud networks..
State to set up K4C to strengthen fight against cybercrime:
The State government will soon establish the Karnataka Cybercrime Coordination Centre (K4C) on the lines of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), an initiative of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs aimed at tackling cybercrime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
Explaining the significance of the initiative,Mr.Mohanty said that K4C will focus on addressing all cybercrime-related issues faced by citizens.
The centre will enhance coordination among various law enforcement agencies and stakeholders,strengthen the State’s overall capacity to combat cybercrime,and improve citizen satisfaction levels.
The K4C will function as a nodal agency to curb cybercrime in the State,with special emphasis on crimes targeting women and children.
It will facilitate easy filing of cybercrime complaints, analyse emerging cybercrime trends and patterns,and act as an early warning system for law enforcement agencies to enable proactive prevention and detection.
In addition,the centre will undertake public awareness programmes on cyber safety and assist States and Union Territories in capacity building of police officers, public prosecutors,and judicial officers in areas such as cyber forensics,cyber investigation.
