CBI Arrests 10th Suspect in Nationwide Crackdown on Mule Accounts

New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a 10th suspect in Patna, Bihar, as part of its sweeping crackdown on mule accounts that cyber criminals use to launder illicit funds. Officials announced this development on Monday. The suspect reportedly has "links in foreign countries," which are currently under thorough investigation by the agency. The CBI initiated a nationwide operation targeting 8.5 lakh mule accounts across more than 700 bank branches. Cyber criminals allegedly utilized these accounts to funnel money from scams involving digital theft, impersonation, fraudulent investments, and UPI-based frauds. In its extensive operations, the CBI conducted coordinated raids at 42 locations in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. These efforts resulted in the apprehension of nine suspects. The agency collected materials during these searches, leading them to the 10th suspect in Patna, who was subsequently arrested. The CBI has not yet disclosed the identities of the suspects, maintaining silence regarding the case as the investigations are ongoing. Among those apprehended are alleged middlemen, agents, aggregators, account holders, and banking correspondents. All of these individuals are believed to have played pivotal roles in orchestrating and facilitating the creation of these fictitious accounts. A mule account is typically set up in an individual's name, sometimes without their knowledge, to launder illicit funds. According to the CBI, these accounts were often established using falsified identification documents and primarily served as conduits for transferring money obtained from unsuspecting victims. Preliminary findings suggest some bank officials, e-Mitra agents, and third-party facilitators may have actively colluded with the fraudsters. They allegedly assisted in creating these accounts and enabling fund withdrawals. “We have observed that mule accounts are being used only once in most cases,” remarked an official previously. “Once the money is deposited, it's transferred to other accounts before the primary account is closed, complicating efforts to catch the criminals.”

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