Patna: In a crackdown on cybercrime network, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two former bank officials on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in opening and operationalising mule accounts used by organised cybercriminals to launder fraud proceeds.The accused have been identified as Shalini Sinha, then assistant manager at Canara Bank in Patna, and Abhishek Kumar, then business development associate at Axis Bank in Patna. Sinha was arrested in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, while Kumar was apprehended in Bettiah. “They are being produced before the jurisdictional court after obtaining transit remand,” CBI officials said.Digital evidence gathered during the investigation revealed that the duo actively assisted cyber fraudsters by facilitating mule account operations, guiding them on money transfers, and advising on ways to evade system-generated red flags. Proof of quid pro quo benefits received in exchange for their assistance also emerged as part of the conspiracy.This action follows earlier CBI operations, including searches at 61 locations nationwide, leading to the arrest of 13 people and the recent filing of chargesheets under relevant sections of the IPC/BNS and Prevention of Corruption Act. “The probe into the involvement of other bank officials linked to mule accounts continues,” the CBI officials said.
