Hyderabad, October 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested 101 people, including 18 women, and traced fraudulent transactions worth around Rs 17 crore during a coordinated two-week cybercrime operation across southern India, officials said on Wednesday.
The operation began on September 23 and covered Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry, targeting individuals and networks allegedly involved in cyber-enabled financial crimes.
TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said the operation was the Bureau’s second simultaneous multi-state crackdown and was aimed at identifying and dismantling cybercrime networks operating across state boundaries and exploiting multiple jurisdictions.
Six special teams comprising more than 100 TGCSB personnel were deployed for coordinated field-level action. Of those arrested, 19 were identified as agents and 81 as mule bank account holders.
Kerala accounted for the highest number of arrests at 35, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 22 and Karnataka with 17. Another 14 accused were arrested from Tamil Nadu, 12 from Telangana and one from Puducherry.
Police seized several mobile phones, SIM cards, bank passbooks and cheque books allegedly used in fraudulent transactions. Around Rs 17 crore in fraudulent transactions was traced through mule accounts.
The investigation found that the accused came from varied age groups, professions and educational backgrounds. Around 82 per cent were aged between 20 and 50 years, while 17 per cent were above 50.
Business and self-employment accounted for 23 per cent of the accused, followed by private employment at 13 per cent, housewives/homemakers at 10 per cent, drivers/operators at 7 per cent and sales/marketing workers at 5 per cent.
In terms of education, 26 per cent had Intermediate-level education, 24 per cent were graduates or degree holders, 16 per cent had secondary education and 11 per cent were uneducated. Another 7 per cent held Diploma/ITI qualifications, 4 per cent had primary education, while 3 per cent each were postgraduates and held professional or other qualifications such as B.Tech and nursing.
The operation also uncovered accused persons allegedly having extensive cybercrime linkages across the country. These included an employee of a leading firm who allegedly facilitated mule accounts for cyber fraudsters for commission, a graduate involved in the money-exchange business who allegedly arranged mule accounts, and an ex-serviceman allegedly linked to six cybercrime cases across India.
Police also arrested a Diploma in Film Technology holder allegedly linked to 26 cybercrime cases, a businessman with an M.Com qualification linked to 34 cybercrime links, and a graduate and Flipkart employee whose bank account was allegedly used for cyber fraud for commission and was linked to 50 cases across India.
An MBA graduate working as the marketing head of a group of companies was also arrested and allegedly found linked to 15 cybercrime cases across the country.
The investigation revealed that cyber fraudsters allegedly procured mule bank accounts through agents and intermediaries to receive, transfer and withdraw fraudulent funds through various channels, including ATM withdrawals, bulk transfers and overseas-linked transactions. Account holders and intermediaries were allegedly paid commissions of up to 5 per cent of the fraudulent amount routed through the accounts.
The arrests are linked to 51 cases registered across the seven TGCSB Cyber Crime Police Stations (CCPS).
Goel said investigators have so far traced 1,172 crime links across India, including 206 linked to Telangana. Of the 101 arrested accused, 50 have more than five crime links across the country, highlighting the extensive network uncovered during the operation.
Further investigation is underway to identify additional crime links, interstate connections and international networks involved in the alleged cybercrime operations.
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