A two-week crackdown stretching across southern India has led the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) to 101 people, from homemakers and drivers to graduates, businessmen and private employees, whose accounts or roles were linked to cyber fraud networks involving transactions of about ₹17 crore.

The operation, which began on September 23, covered Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry. More than 100 TGCSB personnel were split into six special teams for the coordinated action. Among those arrested were 18 women.

What emerged from the exercise was the breadth of the ecosystem supporting cyber fraud. Of the 101 arrested, 19 were identified as agents and 81 as mule account holders. Investigators found that bank accounts were being procured through agents and intermediaries and then used to receive, move and withdraw proceeds of fraud through ATM withdrawals, bulk transfers and overseas-linked transactions.

TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said that account holders and intermediaries were paid commissions of up to 5% of the money routed through them.

Homemakers, businesspersons to graduates

The profile of those caught also showed that mule accounts were not confined to any single social or professional group. About 82% of the accused were aged between 20 and 50, while 17% were above 50. Businessmen and self-employed persons formed the largest occupational group at 23%, followed by private employees at 13%, homemakers at 10%, drivers and operators at 7%, and those working in sales and marketing at 5%.

Educational backgrounds were equally varied; 26% had studied up to Intermediate, 24% were graduates, 16% had secondary education and 11% were uneducated. Others included diploma and ITI holders, postgraduates and people with professional qualifications such as B.Tech and Nursing.

The Bureau said some of those identified during the operation had links to dozens of cybercrime cases across the country. They included an employee of Tata Capital who allegedly facilitated mule accounts for commission, an ex-serviceman linked to six cases and a person with a Diploma in Film Technology linked to 26 cases.

A businessman with an M.Com qualification was linked to 34 cybercrime complaints, while a Flipkart employee whose bank account was allegedly made available for fraudulent transactions was linked to 50 cases. Investigators also found trust accounts opened in the names of NGOs that were allegedly used to receive and transfer cybercrime proceeds, with links to 60 cases across India.

1,172 crime links traced across India

The arrests relate to 51 cases registered across the seven TGCSB Cyber Crime Police Stations. Investigators have so far traced 1,172 crime links across the country, including 206 connected to Telangana. Fifty of those arrested have more than five crime links each across India.

Kerala accounted for the largest number of arrests at 35, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 22, Karnataka with 17, Tamil Nadu with 14, Telangana with 12 and Puducherry with one.

TGCSB said further investigation was under way to identify additional crime links, interstate connections and possible international networks associated with the operation.