Sambalpur police have arrested eight individuals for their involvement in a sophisticated fraud racket that used fake documents to open multiple bank accounts.
These accounts were allegedly used by cybercriminals from Jharkhand’s Jamtara district to facilitate fraudulent transactions amounting to over Rs 50 lakh.
The operation began on September 21 when Ainthapali police, during routine patrolling, apprehended a suspicious individual near the bus stand. The suspect, identified as Anil Mandal (37) from Jamtara, was found carrying 35 bank passbooks, 22 ATM cards, two cheque books, five SIM cards, Rs 930 in cash, and two fake Aadhaar cards bearing his photograph with different ID numbers.
Upon interrogation, Mandal confessed to working as a commission agent for cyber fraudsters. He revealed that he had collaborated with Vicky Mandal from Dhanbad and several locals from Sambalpur to open 16 mule bank accounts using forged documents. These accounts were then used to channel funds from cyber scams, with each account receiving between Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh.
Police subsequently arrested eight more individuals from Sambalpur district, including:
- Bhisma Padhan (25)
- Uttam Jagbala (36)
- Achyuta Bira (23)
- Debendra Majhi (25)
- Gautam Jagdala (29)
- Rinku Bag (30)
- Pramod Tandia (36)
- Srikanta Tandia (25)
The accused were lured with promises of high returns and paid Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to open bank accounts. They handed over passbooks, ATM cards, and PINs to the agents, who used them for illegal transactions. Some accounts reportedly saw deposits ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo confirmed that Rs 50 lakh across these accounts has been frozen, and banks have been asked to provide further details. The racket was operated primarily from Jamtara, a region notorious for cyber fraud, and targeted banks with lenient KYC procedures.
The investigation also revealed that Anil Mandal had visited Sambalpur multiple times under the guise of selling tea, using the opportunity to recruit locals into the scheme. His associate, Achyuta Bira, played a key role in facilitating these connections.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are continuing their investigation to trace the full extent of the network.
