Lakkan Arora, a 21-year-old data entry worker from Jaipur, has been implicated in 194 cybercrime cases across India. According to Shikha Goel, Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB), Arora used his bank account as a conduit for cybercriminals, facilitating fraudulent transactions that totaled an estimated Rs 11 crore. Goel revealed this information from an Excel sheet that listed the cases and the states from which the victims were affected.
Arora’s role was that of a mule account operator. He allegedly opened a bank account and provided it to cybercriminals, who used it to funnel money. When a victim transferred money into Arora’s account, he would then transfer the funds to another account based on the instructions he received from the fraudsters. In return, Arora received a commission, which varied based on the amount of money transferred and the activity level of the account.
In September, Arora was among 27 individuals arrested in Rajasthan by the TGCSB during a special interstate operation targeting mule account operators. The operation, which involved four teams, was the bureau’s first of its kind in the state. The accused individuals were operating 29 mule accounts, with suspicious transactions totaling Rs 11.01 crore. The operation revealed that the accounts were involved in a wide range of cybercrimes, including investment frauds, trading frauds, and digital scams.
The accused are linked to over 2,200 cybercrime cases across India, including 189 in Telangana alone, resulting in total losses of Rs 9 crore. Goel stated that mule account operators like Arora receive commissions ranging from Rs 50,000 to several lakh rupees, depending on the volume and activity of the illicit transactions.
Raids were carried out in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Nagaur as part of the operation, with the arrested individuals being transferred to Hyderabad on transit warrants. The police identified 33 additional cybercriminals during the operation, who are expected to be apprehended soon.
Goel emphasized that the primary goal of the operation was to disrupt the supply chain of illicit bank accounts used to facilitate cybercrimes. She also highlighted that all those arrested were educated individuals who had never been arrested before, despite being involved in multiple criminal activities.
“This operation sends a clear message that anyone aiding cybercriminals for financial gain will be held accountable,” Goel said, commending the TGCSB’s efforts in tackling the growing threat of cybercrime.