Jaipur Police say a suspected kingpin paid workers for ID papers to open bank accounts that moved about ₹24 crore in fraud and betting money.
Police in Jaipur, India, have arrested a man they call the suspected kingpin of a cybercrime network. They say it paid workers for their ID papers, then used those papers to open bank accounts that handled fraud and illegal betting money. Investigators traced about ₹24 crore moving through the accounts over two years.
The accused is Vikas Dhaka, from Sikar district in Rajasthan. Police arrested him at a flat in Jaipur's Vaishali Nagar area. They say he came to Jaipur about 20 days earlier to set up more accounts and merchant payment networks.
Investigators allege his group approached workers at resorts and restaurants near Jaisalmer and Sikar. The workers were reportedly offered money for their identity documents and Know Your Customer (KYC) details. KYC is the ID check a bank requires before it opens an account. Police say the papers were used to open accounts with private banks and payment banks. The network also got merchant QR codes through Airtel Payments Bank.
These are called mule accounts. A mule account is opened in one person's name but controlled by someone else, so the real owner stays hidden. Police suspect the accounts were passed to online fraudsters and illegal betting operators for a commission.
Police say the money was then turned into USDT, a cryptocurrency tied to the US dollar. They suspect it went through crypto and hawala channels linked to Dubai. Hawala is an informal way of moving money without a bank. The cash was allegedly brought back into India looking legitimate.
A small cash offer can look harmless, especially to someone on a low wage. But the account, the ID and the name stay yours. If the account is used to move stolen money, police may come to you first. Renting out an account can lead to criminal cases.
The reports describe workers in Rajasthan, mainly at resorts and restaurants. If you have never handed over your ID or let someone else use your bank account or payment QR code, nothing in this case points to you. The material does not say how many workers were involved or whether they knew how their papers would be used.
The alert box above lists the steps. The main point is simple: do not sell, lend or rent out your ID, account or QR code, and tell staff and family the same.
Police seized nine mobile phones, eight Fino Payments Bank debit card kits and Google Pay scanner rolls. They are checking the devices for crypto wallets, digital keys, Telegram chats and details of active bank accounts. That could lead to more suspects. Police are also looking at the people who collected IDs, ran the accounts, handled hawala transfers and may be based overseas. The investigation is ongoing.
Never sell or lend your ID, bank account or payment QR code for cash, because the legal risk stays with your name.
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