The Gwalior Crime Branch has arrested Shivani Shukla, a woman from Dabra, for renting out bank accounts to online fraudsters. The arrest follows the discovery of multiple bank passbooks and ATM cards at her residence, which were used in various online scams.
Shukla, who had relocated to Gwalior a few months ago, targeted vulnerable individuals from poorer and labor-class communities. She lured them into opening bank accounts under the pretense of receiving money from online gaming apps. Once the accounts were opened, she kept the passbooks and ATM cards, renting each account to scammers for Rs2,000 per account.
The Crime Branch began its investigation after receiving reports of accounts being used to launder money from online frauds. Several victims had reported that their bank accounts were blocked due to suspicious transactions. Further inquiry revealed that Shukla had been facilitating these transactions by providing her bank accounts to the scammers.
During a search of Shukla’s residence, police recovered around 15 bank passbooks and ATM cards, all linked to fraudulent activity. Shukla admitted to meeting a young man who offered her Rs2,000 per account in exchange for opening accounts that would later be used in scams.
Authorities are continuing to question Shukla in an effort to identify her accomplices. Initial investigations suggest that one of the scammers may be based in Datia, and the Crime Branch is working to dismantle a larger network of fraudsters.
This case highlights the growing issue of bank account rentals being used to facilitate various types of online fraud, including money laundering and identity theft. Investigations are ongoing, with law enforcement focusing on bringing down the entire fraud syndicate.
