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Bihar Police has identified 1,09,475 suspected mule bank accounts across all 38 districts of the state, holding a combined balance of Rs 72.53 crore linked to cyber fraud networks. Launching a major crackdown under Operation Cyber Prahar 5.0, law enforcement agencies aim not only to freeze these accounts but also to trace the individuals managing the transactions and dismantle organized cybercrime syndicates.
Inspector General of Police (Cyber Crime and Security Unit) Ranjit Kumar Mishra shared these details during a press conference at Sardar Patel Bhavan in Patna on Friday. He explained that mule accounts form a critical part of cybercriminals’ financial infrastructure, used to route stolen funds through multiple layers to obscure the original source and true beneficiaries.
Patna Tops List of Suspected Accounts
District-level data shows Patna recording the highest number of flagged mule accounts at 14,644. Gaya follows with 6,172 accounts, Muzaffarpur with 4,244, Bhagalpur with 4,197, and Nalanda with 4,146. Significant numbers were also detected in West Champaran (3,945), Siwan (3,859), Vaishali (3,441), and Aurangabad (3,326). Officials noted that Nawada, Nalanda, and Patna remain persistent hotspots for financial cyber fraud, prompting plans to establish an additional cyber police station in Patna to expedite investigations.
During September and October 2026 alone, Bihar registered 47,659 cybercrime complaints out of 5,69,160 reported nationwide. Fraudsters siphoned off roughly Rs 121.26 crore from residents in the state during these two months. Through coordinated intervention with banking institutions, police froze Rs 36.94 crore, representing 30.46 percent of the defrauded amount, and returned Rs 8.04 crore to victims. Nationally, Rs 993 crore, or 28.35 percent of the Rs 3,503 crore lost, was frozen, placing Bihar’s freeze rate above the national average.
Previous Crackdowns and Police Training
Ahead of Operation Cyber Prahar 5.0, Bihar Police executed phases 4.0 and 4.1. Phase 4.0 uncovered 3,177 mule accounts, resulting in 15 FIRs, seven arrests, and notices to 448 suspects. Phase 4.1 identified 1,226 additional accounts, leading to 17 FIRs and 12 arrests, including six Point of Sale (PoS) SIM card vendors. Police also blocked 385 SIM cards and 442 mobile phones used in frauds, while removing 2,172 objectionable social media posts and shutting down 549 accounts.
To strengthen investigative capabilities, the department provided specialized cybercrime training to 278 police personnel, focusing on digital forensics, financial trail analysis, and tracking online fraud networks. Having received 11.40 lakh cyber fraud-related phone calls, the police have scaled up public outreach for the 1930 emergency helpline. Authorities announced that the 1930 helpline message is now printed daily on 20 lakh Sudha milk packets and will soon be featured on electricity bills across the state.
Mass Outreach and State-Level Hackathon
Bihar Police has expanded awareness campaigns across both traditional and digital platforms, broadcasting jingles on FM radio channels and publishing informational posters in 30 newspapers. Digital campaigns have reached over 18.6 lakh people, emphasizing the importance of reporting fraud immediately on 1930 to maximize the chances of freezing stolen money before it is withdrawn.
Alongside enforcement and outreach, Bihar Police is hosting a state-level hackathon featuring 153 teams to develop technology-driven cybersecurity solutions for crime prevention and investigation, with results scheduled for November 28. Moving forward, acting against the 1,09,475 flagged bank accounts and tracing the beneficiaries of the Rs 72.53 crore parked inside them remains the primary operational focus for the state’s cyber unit under Operation Cyber Prahar 5.0.
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