Hyderabad: Cyberabad Cyber Crime cops and SOT Medchal personnel busted an inter-state gang and arrested nine people for operating mule accounts to facilitate illegal financial transactions.
Organised network laundering fraud money
According to police officials, the accused were part of an organised cybercrime network that laundered proceeds of fraud through multiple current accounts. These accounts were operated using unauthorized mobile applications and SIM swaps, allowing cybercriminals to route large sums of money obtained through online scams without being detected.
Accused from Rajasthan and Telangana
Among the arrested, two belong to Rajasthan, while the remaining seven are from Hyderabad. The accused were identified as Sumit Rathore and Manvendra Singh Rathore from Rajasthan, and Mohammed Nadeem ur Rehman, MD Nayeem Ur Rahaman, Md Shaffi, S Bharath, Telugu Mahesh, Abdul Khaled, and Jelpti Mahesh from Telangana.
Modus Operandi: Remote control via malicious APK
Police investigations revealed that the group operated under the instructions of an international cyber handler using the Telegram alias @Jack. Account holders were brought to hotels near DLF, Gachibowli, where their banking documents were collected. A malicious APK file, which works only on Samsung mobile phones, was installed to gain remote access to their bank accounts.
To avoid police detection, the operatives booked hotels for a week and frequently shifted locations. Agents facilitating these operations arrived from Rajasthan to coordinate activities in Hyderabad.
Seizures during operation
Police seized 16 mobile phones, one laptop, two cars, and Rs 82,500 in cash. Officials believe the equipment was used for running the illegal banking operations and communicating with handlers.
Investigation to trace main handler
All the arrested individuals have been remanded to custody for further investigation. Efforts are underway to trace other beneficiaries, digital footprints, and the main handler @Jack, who is suspected to be operating from abroad.
Cyber Crime Police Advisory
The Cyber Crime Police appealed to the public to remain vigilant against suspicious calls or emails claiming to be from banks or e-commerce platforms.
Officials advised people to verify any such communication with official sources and not to share personal banking information. They also urged citizens to report any suspicious individuals operating illegal call centres in their neighbourhoods by contacting local police or dialling 1930 for immediate assistance.
