Bihar Police identify over 1 lakh suspected mule bank accounts
The state has flagged 1,09,475 accounts containing Rs 72 crore as part of the new Cyber Prahar 5.0 campaign.
Bihar Police have identified 1,09,475 suspected mule bank accounts containing a total of Rs 72 crore across all 38 districts, according to The Times of India. These accounts are being targeted under the newly launched Cyber Prahar 5.0 campaign to combat digital financial fraud.
Inspector General of Police (Cyber Crime and Security Unit) Ranjit Kumar Mishra said the accounts serve as the financial foundation for cybercrime syndicates. Patna has the highest number of suspicious accounts at 14,644, followed by Gaya with 6,172 and Muzaffarpur with 4,244. Other districts with high counts include Bhagalpur, Nalanda, West Champaran, Siwan, Vaishali, and Aurangabad.
During September and October, Bihar recorded 47,659 cybercrime complaints out of 5,69,160 complaints filed across the country. In that period, fraudsters took Rs 121 crore in Bihar, though police and banks placed over Rs 36 crore on hold. The state's freezing rate of 30.46 per cent was higher than the national average of 28.35 per cent.
The police are preparing legal action against the identified accounts and plan to set up an additional cyber police station in Patna district. To improve investigations, 278 personnel have undergone specialised training.
Public awareness efforts include printing the 1930 emergency helpline number on 20 lakh Sudha milk packets daily and on electricity bills. A statewide hackathon with 153 teams is currently underway, with results expected on November 28.