In a major crackdown on cyber-enabled financial fraud, the Hulimavu Police have arrested 12 persons for allegedly cheating members of the public by illegally opening bank accounts —commonly known as mule accounts — and using them for illicit financial activities linked to online gambling operations.
The police have seized 242 debit cards, 58 mobile phones, seven laptops, nine watches, 531 grams of gold ornaments, ₹4.89 lakh in cash, 33 cheque books, 21 passbooks, 48 SIM cards, one online digital payment ring and a cryptocurrency-related book. The total value of the seized property is estimated at ₹1 crore.
Dubai-based handler
According to the police, on November 28, 2025, officers of Hulimavu Police Station received credible information that two individuals were opening bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting members of the public and handing them over to a Dubai-based handler for illegal monetary gain and to facilitate illegal gambling applications. Based on the tip-off, a case was registered and investigation was taken up.
On November 29, 2025, the police apprehended two suspects near an apartment in Anjanapura, JP Nagar 9th Phase. During interrogation, both allegedly confessed to their involvement. They were produced before a court on November 30 and remanded to police custody for 10 days.
During custodial interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed that they had lured people in financial distress by offering commissions, opened bank accounts in their names and misused them for fraudulent transactions. They also disclosed the involvement of 10 more accomplices.
At hospital
Police said the accused would approach gullible people near Victoria Hospital and other crowded public places, offering them small sums of money in exchange for their identity documents to open bank accounts. These accounts were subsequently used as mule accounts to route and launder proceeds of fraud.
Acting on this information, the police on December 3, 2025, conducted a search at their residence in Anjanapura and seized several items.
On December 9, 2025, the two accused were again produced before the court, where one was remanded to police custody for another 10 days while the other was sent to judicial custody.
Based on further leads, on December 17, 2025, Hulimavu police apprehended 10 accomplices from an office operating out of a residential premises in Rajendra Nagar, Delhi. From their possession, the police seized 36 debit cards, 35 mobile phones, 10 cheque books, six laptops and 12 SIM cards. After producing them before a court in Delhi, the accused were brought to Bengaluru on December 18.
All the accused were subsequently produced before the court in Bengaluru and remanded to judicial custody after completion of police custody between December 31, 2025 and January 6, 2026.
Cash reward
Meanwhile, City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh announced a cash reward of ₹50,000 for the Hulimavu police team for successfully cracking the case. He said the police are now tracking the prime accused, who is allegedly operating the racket from Dubai.
According to the police, the kingpin’s close confidant, Mohammed Huzaif (23), a PU dropout, has been running the operation for the past two years. Investigators said he possessed more than two dozen mobile phones, including a satellite phone.
Police officials said that with the arrests made so far, transactions worth ₹24 crore have been detected, while the total fraud committed by the syndicate is estimated to be around ₹240 crore. The accused had allegedly purchased expensive gold and diamond jewellery for his mother and fiancée, all of which have been seized.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Electronic City Division, M. Narayana, IPS, and the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Electronic City Sub-Division, K.M. Satish. The action was led by Hulimavu Police Station Inspector B.G. Kumaraswamy along with officers and staff of the station.
Published – January 14, 2026 09:42 pm IST
