Haryana Police has identified 91 bank branches across the state suspected of hosting “mule accounts” being used by cybercriminals for fraudulent transactions. Officials confirmed that the highest number of such branches were flagged in Gurugram (26) and Nuh (24) districts.
According to police, special teams of the Cyber Crime Wing have been tasked with phased verification, inspection, and legal scrutiny of these branches to curb the misuse of banking systems for cyber fraud.
Lapses in Banking Practices Under Scanner
Investigations are focusing on whether negligence or collusion by bank staff facilitated the opening and operation of these accounts. Police teams are thoroughly examining KYC compliance lapses, procedural violations during account opening, and suspicious transaction patterns.
During recent raids in Karnal and Yamunanagar, cyber teams discovered multiple irregularities. In Yamunanagar, one current account linked to a firm that was officially closed in March was still found active, with ₹43 lakh worth of transactions recorded after closure. The account already has eight nationwide complaints against it.
In another case, a current account opened using a fake address was found to have handled ₹2 crore in just three months, with 33 complaints registered nationwide.
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Multi-Pronged Cybercrime Strategy
Haryana’s Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur stated that a robust strategy is being implemented to clamp down on cyber fraud. This includes:
- Strict monitoring of bank branches.
- Rapid analysis of suspicious financial transactions.
- Regular raids and inspections at targeted locations.
- Fixing accountability of both bank officials and cyber nodal officers.
Kapur emphasized that protecting citizens’ hard-earned money is a top priority and stressed that banks share equal responsibility in preventing cybercrime.
Inspector General (Cyber) Shibas Kabiraj added that cybercriminals often impersonate bank officials, law enforcement officers, or company representatives to deceive victims. He warned citizens against sharing OTP, UPI PINs, ATM details, Aadhaar, PAN, or scanning unknown QR codes.
Kabiraj further highlighted the emerging trend of “digital arrests”, where fraudsters intimidate victims through video calls while posing as police officers. “No genuine police or government agency ever demands money transfers or sensitive information over the phone,” he cautioned.
Officials confirmed that this drive will not remain limited to Karnal and Yamunanagar but will be extended statewide, with more raids expected in coming days. By tightening oversight of banks and exposing mule accounts, Haryana Police aims to cut off the financial lifeline of cybercriminal networks and protect citizens from digital fraud.
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