Bhubaneswar, Dec 7: The Odisha Crime Branch's Special Task Force (STF) has apprehended another member of an interstate racket engaged in illicit activities, including the creation of mule bank accounts and fake SIM cards. The racket targeted unsuspecting individuals in remote areas of West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Samim Islam, the recently arrested individual, hails from Gudhia Village in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

The arrest, made on December 4, is linked to a case registered under various sections of the IPC and the Information Technology Act. Samim Islam was presented before a local court in Murshidabad and subsequently brought to Odisha on a three-day transit remand.

Earlier in October, the STF had detained three other members of the gang, namely Jamiruddin from West Medinipur district in West Bengal, Hapizul, and Jahangir from Balasore district in Odisha. Islam, considered a key figure in the racket, has extensive connections in various areas of West Bengal and Bihar.

According to STF sources, the racket primarily operates in the tri-junction area of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, focusing on districts such as Balasore, Mayurbhanj, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Saraikela.

The agents, recruited by Jamiruddin and paid Rs 15,000 each per month, would visit the interior regions of the specified districts, collecting crucial documents for opening mule bank accounts. The agents enticed impoverished tribals and villagers, offering them Rs 2000 per account to open mule bank accounts. The gang members provided mobile numbers linked to the bank accounts. Subsequently, Jamiruddin and accomplices shared the mule bank accounts and fake SIM cards with Islam, who then sold them to cybercriminals, cyber-financial scammers, and other offenders in Kolkata and various parts of India.

The STF official revealed that social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram were utilized to sell the mule bank accounts, fetching prices ranging from Rs 15,000 to 20,000 per account. The racket has reportedly sold approximately 5000 mule bank accounts across different platforms.

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