In a coordinated push to curb cyber fraud, Odisha Police has ramped up its statewide enforcement drive under the special campaign ‘Operation Cyber Kabuch’. The operation is focused on identifying and dismantling mule and benami bank accounts used to route and conceal fraudulent money flows.
As part of the latest crackdown, police scrutinised 73 suspicious bank accounts, registered 3 new cyber crime cases, and arrested 6 accused persons. Notices were also issued to 51 suspected account holders, directing them to explain irregular and questionable transactions linked to their accounts.
Officials said the campaign is designed to break the financial backbone of cyber crime networks. Mule accounts, they noted, remain the most common method used by fraudsters to layer and transfer cheated funds in order to evade detection.
Simultaneous action across districts
The operation was carried out simultaneously across multiple districts by joint teams of district police and cyber units. In Boudh, 45 benami accounts were verified, 1 case was registered, and notices were issued to 45 individuals. In Malkangiri, 20 suspicious accounts were examined and 1 new case was filed. In Sundergarh, 2 accounts were probed, and links to earlier investigations led to the arrest of 6 accused. In Cuttack (UPD), 6 mule accounts were checked, notices were served on 6 persons, and 1 case was registered.
The entire exercise was conducted under the supervision of senior police officers, with SPs, DCPs, and district cyber teams working in close coordination.
Mule accounts under scanner
Investigations revealed that cyber criminals often use bank accounts belonging to unsuspecting individuals, offering small commissions in return. Fraud proceeds are first routed through these accounts and then moved across multiple layers, making it difficult to trace the real offenders.
Recognising this pattern, police have shifted focus from only targeting call-centre operators to disrupting the financial channels that enable cyber crime. Suspect accounts are being identified, frozen, and analysed to determine the role of account holders.
Legal action and public advisory
The 51 individuals who received notices have been asked to justify the nature of transactions in their accounts. Failure to provide satisfactory
explanations may result in legal action. Authorities are examining banking trails, mobile numbers, KYC documents, and digital evidence to establish accountability.
Police have urged citizens not to share bank details, ATM cards, or OTPs, and to avoid allowing their accounts to be used for commission-based transactions. The campaign will continue in the coming weeks as part of a broader strategy to strengthen digital transaction security across the state.
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