Wanwadi police in Pune remanded five men to custody this week after investigators linked their bank accounts to 19 cyber fraud complaints totalling about ₹1.80 crore, according to a Maharashtra Cyber Department briefing that described an alleged mule-account network routed through forged identity papers.
What police allege
Officers identified Shravan Rajendra Ankushe, Hariom Hariram Sahu, Saud Irfan Shaikh, Sahil Rauf Shaikh, and Talib Noor Mohammad Shaikh after the state cyber cell flagged suspicious inflows. Police said fake accounts were opened with forged documents and that accomplices were promised ₹5,000 per successful transfer.
Investigators alleged Ankushe coordinated recruitment while others arranged account credentials. Funds allegedly moved quickly through multiple layers before cash-out. Police seized phones and account kits during arrests; courts granted remand to allow digital forensic imaging.
Victim pattern
Complaints spanned investment scams and impersonation calls, typical of flows that land in mule accounts within minutes. The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal data cited in the briefing connected the Pune accounts to victims outside Maharashtra, underscoring how local bank branches can be exploited for nationwide fraud.
Bank and regulator pressure
Reserve Bank of India and Indian Banks’ Association guidelines require know-your-customer reverification when transaction patterns spike, but mule recruiters target young account holders with clean histories. Pune police urged banks to flag rapid round-tripping of small credits followed by immediate UPI outflows.
What changes for account holders
Authorities repeated warnings against renting account access for “easy money” side gigs advertised on messaging apps. Convictions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cyber provisions can include imprisonment and asset freezes. For legitimate customers, the case is another reminder that banks may delay withdrawals while fraud teams trace mule chains.
Investigation next steps
Wanwadi police said digital forensic units are imaging phones to trace messaging groups where account sellers advertised “instant commission” gigs. Maharashtra Cyber has asked the Reserve Bank’s fraud monitoring cell for transaction graphs linking the Pune accounts to payment aggregators used in investment scams.
Legal aid groups cautioned that remand does not equal conviction; defence counsel may argue account holders were coerced. Still, the scale of linked complaints gives prosecutors grounds to seek extended custody for data recovery.
Prevention messaging
State cyber cells plan campus outreach in Pune’s colleges, where recruiters target students needing quick cash for fees. Banks were asked to send SMS warnings when new accounts receive large inbound transfers within 48 hours of opening—a pattern common in mule onboarding.