Surat. The Surat Police has achieved significant success in its special campaign 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0' aimed at curbing rising cyber crimes.
Under the guidance of Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot, a three-day operation conducted from May 31 to June 2, 2026, resulted in the registration of 58 cyber crimes and the arrest of 77 accused. Preliminary investigations revealed cyber fraud amounting to approximately ₹23.85 crore. According to the police, about 80 percent of these cases are related to fraudulent investment schemes, online trading, and extortion scams, where individuals were lured with promises of high returns, resulting in losses of crores of rupees.
The police investigation revealed that cyber criminals are extensively using 'mule accounts,' which are rented bank accounts. They obtain these accounts by enticing economically weaker individuals with commissions or monetary rewards. The fraudulently obtained money is first deposited into these accounts and then transferred to several other accounts within minutes, making it difficult to trace the actual source and destination of the funds.
The Surat Police conducted nearly a month of covert preparations before launching the operation. They carried out a detailed analysis of complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP), suspicious bank accounts, and patterns of financial transactions. Cyber teams from all police stations in the city were instructed to gather information on suspicious accounts and the agents operating them.
To enhance the effectiveness of the operation, a coordination meeting was held on May 15 with bank officials, fintech companies, telecom service providers, and the Department of Telecommunications. Following this, over 500 police personnel in the city received specialized training from cyber experts and chartered accountants on May 16. During the three-day operation, more than 50 teams from the Surat Cyber Crime Cell and various police stations conducted simultaneous actions across several states, including Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
With the assistance of technical platforms like NCCRP, SAMANVAYA, and SAHYOG, a total of 77 accused were arrested. A large number of SIM cards, debit cards, and digital evidence were recovered from the arrested individuals. The investigation revealed that the accused were targeting people through various methods, including hotel bookings, insurance policies, fake online shopping advertisements, work visas, diamond training, driving licenses, loans, parcel delivery, and fake job offers.
Additionally, cases of hacking mobile phones by sending suspicious APK files were also reported. The majority of the cases were found to be related to investment fraud, where individuals were deceived with promises of substantial profits through cryptocurrency, stock markets, or online tasks. Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot mentioned that the Indian government's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has launched the 'Money Refund Module (MRM),' under which amounts up to ₹50,000 can be retrieved through police procedures by presenting appropriate documents.
He stated that if a bank account of an innocent person is frozen due to suspicious transactions, they can directly contact the bank with the necessary documents. After verification, banks have been authorized to unfreeze accounts with amounts up to ₹50,000. According to the police, many of the arrested accused are habitual offenders, and their involvement in several cases has come to light.
Strict action is being taken against such criminals under the organized crime provisions of the Indian Penal Code (BNS). The Surat Police has appealed to citizens not to fall for any attractive investment schemes, fake jobs, digital arrests, online trading, or promises of high profits.
The police clarified that no government agency claims to deposit money or prevent arrests through phone or video calls. In case of any cyber fraud, citizens are urged to immediately contact the National Cyber Helpline at 1930 and register complaints on the official portal.
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