Chandigarh, March 20: The Punjab Police’s State Cyber Crime Branch has uncovered a significant Cyber Crime syndicate involved in facilitating fraudulent transactions for Chinese nationals through ‘Mule Accounts’—rented bank accounts used to launder money. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with this case. The accused reportedly earned approximately ₹50 lakh in commissions over the past two years by opening current accounts using forged documents.
Punjab’s Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, announced that this operation was conducted under the directives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann as part of a campaign to make the state free and secure from cyber crimes. The arrested individuals, Gurjeet Singh, Raman Rai, and Sukdev Singh, are all residents of Jalalabad in the Fazilka district. They operated a fake firm named ‘Brother Traders’ from a rented room in Mohali’s Phase 5, providing cyber fraudsters with mule accounts.
Mule accounts are bank accounts used by criminals to transfer, hide, or legitimize illegal funds. These accounts are often opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals using forged documents or rented from individuals lured by promises of easy money. The gang assisted in transferring the proceeds of fraud abroad or converting them into cryptocurrency. Investigations revealed that the accused were in direct contact with Chinese nationals via the Telegram app, receiving profits in the form of USDT cryptocurrency for providing these accounts.
During the raids, police froze approximately ₹20 lakh deposited in the gang’s associated bank accounts. Additionally, they seized 23 ATM cards, two laptops, seven mobile phones, five SIM cards, forged bank and KYC documents, 14 cheque books, industry certificates, and six seals. Cryptocurrency valued at $5,100 was also recovered.
Special DGP for Cyber Crime, V. Neerja, stated that this operation is part of an ongoing campaign against ‘domestic hotspots’. Investigations revealed that these mule accounts were linked to 24 victims of cyber fraud, with a total of ₹26.65 lakh secured through legal measures. The police are currently examining the seized ATM cards to identify more victims and uncover the entire network.
An FIR has been registered under Section 318(4) and 61(2) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act on March 17, 2026, at the State Cyber Crime Police Station. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities aiming to identify additional gang members and foreign connections.
The Punjab Police has urged the public to remain vigilant against cyber fraud. Citizens are advised not to share their bank accounts, ATM cards, SIM cards, or passbooks with anyone. They should avoid clicking on suspicious calls, messages, or links, and refrain from transferring money without verification. In case of doubt, individuals should immediately contact the 1930 cyber helpline. The police are committed to taking stringent action against cyber criminals to strengthen digital security in the state and ensure the safety of its citizens.