Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force, Charminar Zone, and Attapur Police busted a mule bank account racket involving 83 accounts linked to over Rs 10 crore in suspected cyber fraud proceeds. Police apprehended three men who allegedly procured bank accounts and supplied them to cyber fraudsters in Rajasthan.
According to police, the gang collected bank account credentials from local individuals and sold complete banking kits for Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 each. Investigators subsequently identified 83 accounts across 22 bank branches in Hyderabad.
Police said the accounts received approximately Rs 10,04,84,094 through cybercrimes. The accused allegedly withdrew the money on the same day. The investigation also linked 11 accounts to 14 fraudulent transactions across several states.
Police apprehend three in mule bank account racket
Police identified the three apprehended men as Syed Abbas Ullah Hussaini, 24, Mohammed Talha Khan, 23, and Nawab Mohammed Rahemuddin Khan, 20. All three lived in Shahgunj, Hussaini Alam, Hyderabad. Hussaini worked as a waiter, while the other two had no occupation.
Hussaini’s father also bears the name Syed Abbas Ullah Hussaini. Talha Khan is the son of Rahim Khan, while Rahemuddin Khan is the son of Nawab Mohammed Faizuddin Khan. Police also named Salman, who lived near Khaja Hotel in Hussaini Alam, and Anna of Mallepally, Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, investigators identified Vijay and Babu Lal of Jaipur, Rajasthan, as two other accused who remained at large. The case involved seven accused in total, according to the police statement.
Police registered Crime No. 1163/2026 at Attapur police station under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case also invoked Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
Additionally, Crime No. 321/2026 at Kalwakurthy police station invoked Section 318(4) of the BNS and Section 66(D) of the IT Act. Police launched the operation after receiving credible information about a group arranging mule accounts for cyber fraud.
During questioning, investigators found that Hussaini and Talha Khan allegedly recruited local people to open accounts at various banks. Rahemuddin Khan and other local contacts reportedly assisted them in procuring the accounts.
The accused then allegedly supplied the banking details to Vijay and Babu Lal in Jaipur. Each banking kit contained an account number, passbook, ATM card, ATM PIN, linked SIM card and customer ID.
Hussaini and Talha Khan allegedly sent these kits to Jaipur through courier services. In return, they received Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for each account. Police seized eight Telangana State Co-operative Apex Bank passbooks and three mobile phones during the operation.
Furthermore, examination of the mobile phones revealed details of the group’s account procurement activities across Hyderabad. Investigators subsequently identified 83 bank accounts spread across 22 branches.
Mule bank account racket involved 83 accounts across Hyderabad
Police identified accounts at several cooperative and commercial banks during the investigation. The Telangana State Co-operative Apex Bank accounted for 32 accounts. These included 10 at Charminar, nine at Attapur, six at Champapet and four at Saidabad.
Additionally, investigators identified one account each at the bank’s Jubilee Hills, Tarnaka and Bagh Lingampally branches. Darussalam Co-operative Urban Bank accounted for another 15 accounts. Of these, 10 belonged to its Hussaini Alam branch and five to Aghapura.
Similarly, Agrasen Co-operative Urban Bank had 15 accounts, including 13 at Begum Bazar and two at Himayath Nagar. TMB Bank’s Rikabgunj branch accounted for six accounts, while Bombay Merchant Bank’s Abids branch had five.
The Hyderabad District Co-operative Central Bank had three accounts. Investigators found one at Sanath Nagar and two at Bahadurpura. Police also identified one account each at CSB Bank Limited’s Himayath Nagar branch and Mahesh Co-operative Urban Bank’s Rikabgunj branch.
Furthermore, SVC Co-operative Bank’s Khairthabad branch and Andhra Pradesh Mahesh Co-operative Urban Bank’s Charminar branch each had one account. The remaining accounts included one each at DCB Bank’s Chanda Nagar branch and Eenadu Co-operative Urban Bank’s Attapur branch.
Investigators also identified one account at J&K Bank’s Pattarghatti branch. Police examined details of all 83 accounts through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
The examination linked 11 accounts to 14 fraudulent transactions reported across India. Maharashtra accounted for three transactions, while Hyderabad and Uttar Pradesh accounted for two each.
Gujarat also recorded two transactions. Meanwhile, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Delhi accounted for one transaction each. Of the 11 accounts linked to these complaints, six belonged to the Telangana State Co-operative Apex Bank.
Another four belonged to Agrasen Co-operative Urban Bank, while one belonged to SVC Co-operative Bank. Police said the 83 accounts had received approximately Rs 10.04 crore in cybercrime proceeds.
According to investigators, the money entered the accounts before withdrawals took place on the same day. The findings indicated that the accused allegedly used the accounts to receive and move funds connected to cyber fraud.
Police warn against renting or selling bank accounts
Following the operation, police warned residents against sharing their banking facilities with unknown individuals or third parties for financial rewards. They said cybercriminals increasingly relied on mule accounts to receive, transfer and withdraw proceeds from illegal activities.
Such accounts often belonged to individuals who allowed others to operate them in exchange for commissions. Therefore, police urged account holders not to rent, sell, lend or share their bank accounts with others.
They also advised residents to protect ATM cards, cheque books, linked SIM cards, UPI IDs and internet banking credentials. Moreover, police warned against offers promising easy money for allowing strangers to conduct transactions through personal bank accounts.
They cautioned that individuals who facilitated illegal transactions could face account freezes, investigations and criminal prosecution. However, legal consequences would depend on the person’s involvement and the circumstances of each case.
Police also advised anyone suspecting account misuse to contact their bank immediately. Additionally, victims and account holders could report suspicious activity through the national Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930.
They could also submit complaints through the official portal, cybercrime.gov.in. Police warned that those involved in procuring mule bank accounts for illegal transactions would face criminal cases.
Charminar Task Force led the operation
Inspector C. Yadender of the Charminar Task Force led the operation against the suspected mule account network. Sub-Inspectors K. Rama Rao, M. Mahesh and K. Shiva Kumar participated in the investigation.
Police Constable Shaik Mahmood Ahmed and other personnel from the Commissioner’s Task Force, Charminar Zone, also assisted. Attapur Police worked alongside the Task Force during the operation.
K.S. Rao, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commissioner’s Task Force, issued the press note detailing the case. He also held charge of the Charminar and Golconda Zones.