Patna: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two bank officials for allegedly colluding with organised cybercriminals to open and operate fake bank accounts used for transferring proceeds of cyber fraud.
One of the accused was arrested in Varanasi and the other in Bettiah, the CBI said, following what it described as “credible information” pointing to their involvement in a wider cybercrime network.
According to investigators, the two officials – the then assistant manager of Canara Bank, Patna, and the then business development associate of Axis Bank, Patna – played an active role in facilitating fraudulent banking operations. The agency said both were involved in opening and managing accounts created with false credentials and in guiding cybercriminals on how to move illicit funds through the banking system.
The CBI alleged that the officials also helped the fraudsters evade automated warning signals generated by banking systems, allowing suspicious transactions to go undetected. In return, the officials are accused of receiving “substantial illegal gratification”.
The arrests follow a nationwide crackdown earlier in the investigation, during which the CBI conducted searches at 61 locations across India and arrested 13 people accused of opening and operating fake accounts linked to cyber fraud. Charge sheets were subsequently filed against those accused under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The agency said analysis of digital devices and financial records provided sufficient evidence to establish the role of the two bank officials in enabling cybercrime.
The investigation remains ongoing, with officials indicating that further arrests and disclosures are possible as authorities continue to trace the flow of funds and identify additional members of the alleged network.
