Cyber Fraud Racket Busted in Sambalpur; Rs 50 Lakh Seized, 8 Arrested
Sambalpur police have dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud network linked to Jharkhand’s notorious Jamtara district, arresting eight individuals and freezing fraudulent transactions worth over Rs 50 lakh.
The crackdown began on September 21 when Ainthapali police apprehended Anil Mandal (37), a suspected commission agent from Jamtara, near the local bus stand.
Mandal was found carrying 35 bank passbooks, 22 ATM cards, multiple SIMs, and two fake Aadhaar cards. Upon interrogation, he confessed to collaborating with Vicky Mandal from Dhanbad and several Sambalpur locals to open 16 mule bank accounts using forged documents.
The accounts were used to channel funds from cyber scams, with deposits ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 12 lakh. The eight arrested accomplices—aged between 23 and 36—were lured with promises of high returns and paid Rs 5,000–Rs 10,000 to open bank accounts, handing over passbooks and PINs to the fraud agents.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo confirmed that Rs 50 lakh across these accounts has been frozen. The operation exploited banks with lax KYC protocols, and further investigation is underway under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police suspect the racket was orchestrated from Jamtara, a region infamous for cybercrime, and used Sambalpur as a recruitment ground under the guise of small trade activities.
