Vijayawada Police Busts Nationwide Cyber Fraud Network, Three Arrested for Mule Account Aiding

Indian Authorities Disrupt Nationwide Cybercrime Operation, Arrest Three Suspects

A recent crackdown by the Vijayawada police has dismantled a significant component of a nationwide cybercrime network, resulting in the arrest of three individuals accused of facilitating online scams by providing access to compromised bank accounts.

Arrests and Investigation

The suspects, identified as Rayapati Ravi Kumar, Rayapati Stephen, and Yarraguntla Baji, all residents of Yanamalakuduru, allegedly operated on a commission-based system, allowing cybercriminals to channel illicit funds through their bank accounts.

The arrests were made possible through a joint operation conducted by the Cybercrime Police and Krishna Lanka Police, under the supervision of South Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police D Paavan Kumar.

The investigation was triggered by specific intelligence inputs, which led to coordinated raids in the Yanamalakuduru Karakatta area and the subsequent apprehension of the suspects.

Compromised Bank Accounts and Cyber Offenses

According to preliminary findings, the compromised bank accounts were used to facilitate a wide range of cyber offenses, including digital arrest scams, investment frauds, phishing, vishing, and OTP-related frauds, targeting victims in several states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh.

The suspects allegedly received commissions ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 for opening and handing over the bank accounts to cybercrime networks.

Seized Materials and Forensic Analysis

During searches of the suspects’ premises, police seized ₹3.4 lakh in cash, two motorcycles, 21 mobile phones, 46 ATM cards, 21 cheque books, 16 bank passbooks, and one laptop.

The recovered materials suggest systematic misuse of banking channels to move scam proceeds.

Cyber teams have initiated forensic analysis of the seized devices to map transaction flows and identify additional compromised accounts linked to the operation.

Public Advisory and Ongoing Investigation

Authorities have warned that mule accounts remain a critical enabler of cybercrime, allowing fraudsters to quickly layer and withdraw money before victims realize they have been duped.

The investigation is ongoing, with further arrests likely as teams follow the digital money trail to uncover other collaborators and the alleged kingpin behind the interstate mule account network.

Police have issued a public advisory, cautioning citizens against opening bank accounts for others or sharing sensitive banking information in exchange for quick money, and urging them to report any suspicious activity to the national cybercrime portal.

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