Face2News/New Delhi
entral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in continuation of the efforts under Operation Chakra-V to combat cybercrime and digital arrest scams, has conducted searches at multiple locations on 16.07.2025 across seven States namely NCT of Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and has so far seized voluminous incriminating evidence including mobile phones, bank account opening documents, transaction records and KYC papers. The operation has also led to the arrest of 03 individuals for their active role in facilitating and operating mule bank accounts used to channel and conceal proceeds of various cyber frauds.
Acting on specific source information and after verification, the CBIhad registered a case on 25.06.2025 against 37 accused persons under IPC/BNS and the Prevention of Corruption Act. These individuals operating as mule account holders and middlemen/ agents and bank employees knowingly colluded with cybercriminals to open and operate mule accounts used for receiving, transferring and withdrawing proceeds of cyber frauds. Earlier, the CBI had conducted searched on 26.06.2025 and 27.06.2025 at 40 locations across various States and arrested 10 accused persons for similar offences.
After initial searches in June, 2025, CBI is now carrying out further searches covering 07 States based on fresh inputs received. The searches are aimed at dismantling the infrastructure of cybercrime syndicates by identifying and neutralizing mule accounts that channel and conceal proceeds of crimes. The arrested individuals facilitated the operation of these mule bank accounts which were used to transfer the proceeds of crimes generated through digital arrest scams, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, investment frauds and other related cyber offences.
CBI has adopted a strategic approach in the fight against cybercrime, focusing on targeting the key pillars of the cybercrime infrastructure. The first pillar is the financial infrastructure, involving mule accounts, unauthorized payment gateways and the wider fintech ecosystem misused by cybercriminals. The second pillar is the telecom/ communication infrastructure involving mule SIM cards, point-of-sale (PoS) agents facilitating illegal SIM activations and networks supplying such SIM cards. The third pillar is the human resource network which consists of organized syndicates engaged in the recruitment and exploitation of people for executing cybercrimes, otherwise what is now known as ‘cyber slavery’. The third pillar most of the times operates outside the boundaries of India.
This action is part of the Government of India’s continued commitment to deal firmly with cybercrime and its perpetrators, with special emphasis on dismantling the infrastructure enabling such offences.
The arrested accused will be produced before the jurisdictional court.