In a major breakthrough, Rourkela Police have dismantled an organised cybercrime syndicate operating with international connections, arresting 14 individuals, including two bank employees.
The syndicate, uncovered after a meticulous investigation, was involved in creating and managing mule bank accounts to facilitate large-scale cybercrimes and money laundering across India and abroad, with links to Dubai and Nepal under scrutiny.
The operation, spearheaded by additional SP Shrabanee Nayak and DSP Serofina Xess, involved coordinated raids by teams from Cyber PS, RN Palli, Plant Site, Bondamunda, and Sector-7 police stations. On August 9, 2025, five suspects were apprehended, followed by additional arrests on August 12, 2025, bringing the total to 14.
The syndicate allegedly employed small-time criminals, both in and out of jail, to procure active SIM cards, bank accounts, and identity documents, often using fake documents and aliases. These accounts, opened with the tacit approval or negligence of bank staff bypassing standard Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, were used to collect funds from cybercrime victims, obscure money trails, and launder money.
The mule accounts, primarily opened in the names of local residents from Rourkela and nearby areas, were rented or sold for ₹8,000-10,000 each to cybercriminals across states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, and Bihar. The funds were layered through multiple accounts to obscure their origins before being siphoned off within India or abroad. Authorities suspect further involvement of bank insiders, given the scale of accounts opened with forged documents and inadequate verification.“
This is a significant step in curbing organised cybercrime that exploits vulnerable individuals and weak banking oversight,” said Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani, at a press meet in the presence of DIG Western Range Brijesh K Rai. The investigation is ongoing, with police exploring additional leads to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s operations and its international connections.
👮♂️ Arrested Accused Persons
📆 Arrested on 09/08/2025:
- Rajesh Nag (43) — S/o Balakrushna Nag, Sec-17, C-Block Park Basti, PS-Sec-15, Rourkela
- Satrughan Nag @ Purra (35) — S/o Lt. Dasrath Nag, H Block Basti, Sec-6, PS-Sec-7, Rourkela
- Bikash Kumar Sahu (25) — S/o Raju Sahu, Delux Gali near Siba Basti, PS-Plantsite, Rourkela
- Rahul Kumbhar (23) — S/o Gulsan Kumbhar, Park Basti, Sec-17, PS-Sec-15, Rourkela
- Laxman Rao (36) — S/o Lt. Tripti Rao, Utkal Basti, Sec-18, PS-Sec-18, Rourkela
📆 Arrested on 12/08/2025:
- Jayanta Pradhan (26) — S/o Abhimanyu Pradhan, Vill-Bolani Lathikata, PS-Lathikata, Rourkela
- Mehul Sahu (23) — S/o Bijay Sahu, Panposh Basti near Municipal High School, PS-R.N. Pali, Rourkela
- Sachin Jena (23) — S/o Prasad Jena, Traffic Gate, Ganjam Basti, PS-Plantsite, Rourkela
- Aditya Nagbansi @ Babulal (19) — S/o Chandradeb Nagbansi, Utkal Basti, Sec-18, PS-Sec-15, Rourkela
- Moshim Khan (28) — S/o MD Habib Khan, Karbala Road, PS-Birmitrapur, Sundargarh
- Deepak Mukhi (26) — S/o Ranjit Mukhi, Panposh Basti near Govt. Hospital, PS-R.N. Pali, Rourkela
- Sekh Sahidul Alli (31) — S/o Sekh Subed Alli, Vivekananda Palli, Sec-6, PS-Sec-7, Rourkela
- Shilpi Sahu (22) — D/o Raj Kishor Sahu, Gopabandhu Palli, Ward No-13, PS-Plantsite, Rourkela
- Sahil Khuntia (23) — S/o Sadananda Khuntia, Qtr No-B/232, Gandhi Road, Fish Market VTC, PS-Plantsite, Rourkela
📦 Seized Items
Seized items include 30 Aadhaar cards, 10 PAN cards, 17 bank passbooks, 15 mobile phones, and vehicles used in the operation. Investigations are ongoing to trace the money trail, identify higher-level handlers, and examine digital evidence from seized devices.
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