Two individuals from Belagavi have been arrested for allegedly misusing the bank accounts of poor people to facilitate cyber fraud. The accused have been identified as Avinash Sutar (28) of Tahsildar Galli and Anoop Karekar (42) of Ramdev Galli.
According to police, the duo lured financially vulnerable individuals into opening bank accounts by offering them small sums of money. Once the accounts were opened, Avinash and Anoop collected the details, claiming it was for online business purposes. These accounts were then handed over to cyber fraudsters, primarily operating from North India.
The fraudsters used these bank accounts to blackmail wealthy victims through video calls and threats of digital arrest — a scam tactic where victims are falsely accused of money laundering and coerced into transferring money. One such victim, Radhakrishna Nayak from Puttur, was threatened and convinced to transfer Rs40 lakh via RTGS. After growing suspicious, he filed a complaint at the CEN police station.
Following an investigation, police traced the funds to bank accounts in Belagavi, leading to the arrest of Avinash and Anoop. It was revealed that they acted as intermediaries, providing verified bank accounts to scammers for a commission.
During interrogation, the accused admitted to working with fraudsters on Telegram, a secure messaging platform often used in online scams. They also revealed links between the operation and Jamtara, Jharkhand — a well-known hub for cyber fraud in India. Police have discovered that many locals sold their bank accounts to fraud syndicates without understanding the consequences.
Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are expected as police unravel the broader network involved in this fraud.
