In a major crackdown, Patna police arrested three individuals, including bike-taxi riders, who rented their bank accounts to an interstate cyber syndicate for a small fee, facilitating a massive ₹25 crore fraud.

  • Three suspects arrested for facilitating a ₹25 crore cyber fraud.
  • Bank accounts were rented out for commissions ranging from ₹3,000 to ₹5,000.
  • Two of the accused were identified as Rapido bike-taxi drivers.

The Patna police have dismantled a significant node of an interstate cybercrime network, arresting three men identified as Prabhakar, Amit, and Deepak. The investigation revealed a disturbing trend where individuals rent out their personal bank accounts to scammers to hide the trail of stolen money.

According to law enforcement officials, the accused were lured with small payments of ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 for every transaction routed through their accounts. Notably, two of the suspects were working as bike-taxi riders for the ride-hailing platform Rapido, highlighting how economic vulnerability is being exploited by high-tech criminals.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this case is a classic example of 'Money Muling'. By using the accounts of innocent or greedy third parties, cybercriminals create a buffer between themselves and the victim. This makes it exponentially harder for agencies to trace the ultimate beneficiary of the fraud. The use of gig workers as mules indicates a strategic targeting of the urban poor by organized crime syndicates.

"The act of renting out financial credentials is a gateway to money laundering and can lead to severe non-bailable charges regardless of the commission earned."

DSP Sangita Kumari, in-charge of the Cyber Police Station in Patna, stated that multiple complaints had been registered against the trio on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) by victims across several Indian states. Following a coordinated operation, two suspects were apprehended in Patna, while the third was nabbed from the Buxar district of Bihar.

The police are now intensifying their probe to uncover the wider network. The objective is to identify the kingpins of this interstate syndicate and determine the total volume of funds laundered through similar 'rented' accounts across the region.

Did You Know?: Money muling is a global phenomenon; criminals often recruit people via social media ads promising 'work-from-home' payment processing jobs to lure them into this illegal activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is it illegal to let someone else use your bank account?
Yes, allowing others to use your account for financial transactions can be classified as aiding and abetting fraud and money laundering under the IPC and PMLA.

Q2: How can I report a cybercrime in India?
Victims can report cyber fraud on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or call the national helpline number 1930 immediately.