TGCSB cracks down on cyber fraud network in Khammam

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, in coordination with Khammam Police, carried out a two-day enforcement drive targeting mule bank accounts used for cybercrime transactions. The operation led to two arrests, identification of over 120 mule accounts, and detection of suspicious transactions worth Rs 7.84 crore.

Hyderabad: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) along with Khammam Police launched a major enforcement operation against individuals allegedly providing bank accounts for routing cybercrime proceeds. 

The operation, conducted on September 2 and 3, covered bank branches, ATM centres and other locations identified through financial intelligence and earlier cybercrime investigations aimed at identifying mule-account operators and disrupting financial channels being used by cyber fraudsters.

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The latest action followed investigations into two cases originally registered at V.M. Banjara and Sathupally police stations. The cases were subsequently transferred to TGCSB and re-registered.

According to the TGCSB officials, links were found between suspects in the cases and a network of bank accounts allegedly used to receive, layer and transfer proceeds of cyber fraud. “Some accounts were also allegedly used for online gaming-related pay-ins and pay-outs through Telegram groups linked to foreign-based operators. Four suspects were arrested, while the two cases had earlier resulted in 52 arrests,” officials said. 

During the latest operation, police arrested two persons – B Murali Krishna and V Sainivas for allegedly supplying 10 mule bank accounts for facilitating cybercrime transactions. 

Further, TGCSB’s financial analysis identified 121 mule accounts spread across 30 bank branches, along with 273 accounts associated with high-value ATM withdrawals. Police also flagged 12 accounts involved in cheque withdrawals exceeding Rs 20,000 and identified 25 suspect locations. 

TGSCB officials said these accounts and locations were connected to multiple cybercrime complaints registered in Telangana and other parts of the country. They found transactions worth Rs 7.84 crore, with Rs 6.23 crore identified as disputed funds. 

“The TGCSB deployed 11 teams comprising 40 police personnel for simultaneous verification and enforcement action. The drive resulted in 25 FIRs being registered across eight police stations,” said Shikha Goel, Director, TGCSB. 

Officials said the arrested individuals came from varied backgrounds, including business, labour, private employment and unemployment. Four former CSB Bank employees were also among those arrested in the earlier action. 

The latest field verification will help investigators identify account handlers and beneficiaries, apart from establishing connections between local facilitators and wider interstate cybercrime networks, they said.