New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) A cyber fraud complaint involving just Rs 10,000 has led Delhi Police to unravel a nationwide mule account syndicate that allegedly routed cybercrime proceeds to the tune of Rs 70 crore through 248 corporate bank accounts opened using shell firms and fake business entities, an official said on Tuesday.
Police said the investigation led to the arrest of six persons, including a bank manager, while four other bank officials and associates were apprehended or bound down for allegedly facilitating the racket.
“The syndicate had been supplying fully operational corporate current bank account kits to cyber frauds across India as well as operators based in Dubai and the United Kingdom for the past three to four years,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said in a statement.
The officer said the accounts were used to receive and layer proceeds of cyber frauds before the money was transferred to other accounts, making it difficult for agencies to trace the beneficiaries.
The six arrestees have been identified as alleged mastermind Dishant Khanna (36), bank manager Kundan Kumar (35), mule recruiters Mohit Soni (26) and Yogesh Kumar (35), shell firm owner Ranjeet Damion Ekka (41), and syndicate associate Mridul (22).
“Besides them, four persons associated with a bank branch in Dwarka Sector-22 — branch manager Komakshi Sharma, deputy manager Payal Setia, bank teller Shristi and insurance agent Chirag Bhatia — were apprehended and bound down for allegedly facilitating the opening of accounts by bypassing Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and receiving illegal benefits,” the statement said.
“The investigation began with what initially appeared to be a routine cyber cheating complaint. A resident of Baljeet Nagar in central Delhi reported that he had been lured through social media with an offer of online work-from-home freelancing assignments.
“The frauds induced him to deposit Rs 10,000 into multiple instalments towards registration and account processing charges before blocking all communication,” the DCP said.
Based on the complaint registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), an FIR was lodged at the Cyber police station.
Investigators traced the financial trail and found that Rs 5,000 of the cheated amount had eventually reached a private bank current account opened in the name of Damion Traders, a shell business entity. However, neither the firm’s proprietor nor its registered address could initially be verified.
Police said digital profiling of linked email accounts, banking records and transaction trails led teams to alleged recruiter Mohit Soni, who was arrested on July 8. His interrogation and technical examination of recovered digital devices exposed a highly-organised international supply chain engaged in creating and selling ready-to-use corporate bank accounts to cybercriminals operating in India as well as abroad.
“The syndicate followed a well-defined modus operandi. Recruiters first identified financially vulnerable or gullible persons and collected their identity documents. Using those documents, fake proprietorship firms and shell business entities were created. These shell firms were then used to obtain current accounts in different banks,” the officer said.
Police claimed Dishant Khanna acted as principal coordinator who worked with bank insiders to ensure accounts were opened quickly despite deficiencies in KYC verification.
Police said Kundan Kumar, manager of a small finance bank, accepted Rs 75,000 as illegal gratification, including Rs 55,000 directly credited into his personal account, to facilitate the opening of accounts. Officials of another private bank branch allegedly assisted in opening current accounts in return for cash kickbacks and insurance-related incentives.
“Once activated, each account was converted into a complete bank account kit containing internet banking credentials, debit cards, cheque books, passbooks, registered SIM cards and fake company rubber stamps,” the officer said.
These ready-to-use corporate account kits were stored at a rented premises in Shalimar Bagh before being supplied to cyber fraud syndicates operating across India as well as in Dubai and the UK, police claimed.
Police said the cyber frauds purchasing these kits could immediately begin receiving criminal proceeds without personally approaching banks or revealing their identities.
Further investigation led police to co-recruiter Yogesh Kumar and shell firm owner Ranjeet Damion Ekka, in whose name nine separate current accounts had allegedly been opened.
A raid at the Shalimar Bagh premises on July 14 resulted in the arrest of alleged mastermind Dishant Khanna and associate Mridul.
During the raid, police seized 248 complete bank account kits, 38 registered SIM cards, 22 mobile phones, 28 fake company rubber stamps, 55 debit and credit cards belonging to different banks, Rs 1 lakh in cash and a SUV.
Police said digital evidence recovered during the searches, including conversations, financial records and cash deposit receipts, exposed the involvement of bank officials in facilitating the racket. This led to the arrest of bank manager Kundan Kumar and action against four private bank officials and associates on July 20.
According to police, financial analysis revealed that more than Rs 70 crore had been routed through the 248 recovered bank accounts.
Police found that the accounts were directly linked to 156 complaints registered on the NCRP, involving more than Rs 20 crore.
Police said they have so far frozen Rs 56 lakh during the investigation, while the total disputed amount linked to these accounts is around Rs 37 crore.
“Investigation also revealed that the cyber fraud network had a pan-India footprint, with linked complaints originating from 19 states and Union territories,” the officer said. PTI BM ARB ARB
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