Gandhinagar: Gujarat Police has exposed cyber fraud worth ₹2,289 crore and taken action against 913 mule accounts as part of Operation Mule Hunt 1.0, a statewide crackdown on cybercrime conducted through the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCOE). The operation led to the registration of 565 FIRs and the arrest of 638 accused, an official release said.

During the operation, Gujarat Police identified 4,052 cybercrime cases linked to mule accounts, including 491 cases originating from Gujarat. Investigators analysed data from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), the Coordination Portal, and the 1930 cybercrime helpline to trace and act against networks facilitating online fraud.

A mule account is a bank account used by cybercriminals to receive, transfer, or launder money obtained through fraudulent activities. Such accounts are often used to move funds through multiple transactions, making it difficult for investigators to trace the money trail. Account holders may be involved knowingly or unknowingly in such crimes.

The statewide operation, conducted in 2025, involved Police Commissioners, Range Heads, Local Crime Branch units, and Cyber Police Stations across Gujarat. District-level nodal officers and dedicated support teams were appointed, while banks were directed to facilitate real-time sharing of information to strengthen investigations.

Officials said the crackdown resulted in a significant decline in transactions commonly associated with mule accounts. Cheque withdrawals linked to such activities fell by 75%, with monthly withdrawals dropping from ₹126 crore to ₹25 crore. First-layer mule accounts, where fraud proceeds are initially deposited, declined by 30% between August and December 2025. ATM withdrawals associated with these activities also decreased by 66% between September and December 2025.

RBI to Act Against Mule Accounts Using Artificial Intelligence

For more efficient and proactive action against mule accounts, the Reserve Bank of India has introduced an AI-based risk-scoring system through the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC). Under this system, every transaction will be classified as low, medium, or high risk to help identify suspicious accounts. Based on these risk scores, banks can take necessary action. IDPIC has been designated as the nodal agency for this initiative. A registry called mulehunter.ai has also been created to facilitate the sharing of information on suspicious accounts among banks. DeshGujarat