Hyderabad CP urges RBI to act against mule accounts in cyber fraud crackdown

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar on Friday urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take strong action against “mule accounts” that fuel cybercrime. In the meeting, discussions between the Hyderabad CP and RBI centered around strategies to combat these crimes. He raised the issue during a meeting with RBI Governor and Deputy Governor Swaminathan at the RBI’s Hyderabad Regional Office.

Calling mule accounts the “oxygen” for cybercriminals, Sajjanar explained how fraudsters lure students and daily wage earners to open bank accounts. In return, they pay them between ₹2,000 and ₹5,000. Criminals use these accounts to quickly divert stolen funds, often within minutes.

Commissioner proposes database and tighter norms

To counter this threat in Hyderabad, the CP urged RBI to create a central database to identify and monitor mule accounts. He also called for stricter KYC enforcement and improved due diligence by banks.

Raising another concern, he pointed to delays in cybercrime investigations. He stressed the need for banks to share technical evidence faster and to provide standardised account statements that show clear transaction details.

RBI promises stronger digital security measures

RBI officials acknowledged the concerns raised by the CP. They said several steps are already in place to reduce digital fraud. However, they agreed to further strengthen the payment system and explore new safeguards based on police feedback.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes) M. Srinivasulu, DCP (CCS) Shweta, and DCP (Cyber Crimes) Aravind Babu were also present during the meeting.