SAMBALPUR: In what is the first conviction in a mule-account cybercrime case in Sambalpur, a local court on Monday sentenced a 32-year-old man to two years’ simple imprisonment for allowing his bank account to be used to receive money fraudulently obtained through cybercrime.
The Sambalpur Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) convicted Gouri Shankar Dash under Sections 317(2) and 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He was sentenced to two years’ simple imprisonment and fined `10,000 under each section, with the sentences to run concurrently. The judgement and sentencing order were pronounced on the same day.
The case came to light during scrutiny of alerts received through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. According to the court records, multiple bank accounts had repeatedly been flagged as beneficiary accounts in cyber-fraud complaints registered across the country.
Dash’s Kotak Mahindra Bank account in Sambalpur was identified as a suspected mule account. He allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for several suspicious transactions, following which a case was registered at Town police station on March 2.
Investigation revealed that `33,550 had been transferred into Dash’s account through four transactions. The money had allegedly been fraudulently debited from the bank accounts of four persons before being routed to Dash’s account. Bank records collected during the investigation confirmed that the account was held in Dash’s name.
The court held that Dash’s failure to provide a legitimate explanation for the deposits and to alert the authorities established his intent in retaining stolen property. It observed that by allowing his bank account to receive proceeds of cyber fraud, he became part of a wider cybercrime network, with mule accounts being used to facilitate money laundering, financial crimes and conceal illegally obtained funds.
However, Dash was acquitted of charges under Sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the BNS and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. The court found him guilty beyond reasonable doubt under Section 317(2) of the BNS for dishonestly receiving or retaining stolen property and Section 112(2) for petty organised crime.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo said the conviction should serve as a warning to people who allow others to use their bank accounts for monetary transactions. “We appeal to the public not to allow others to receive or transfer money through their accounts. Such a practice could land them in jail,” he said.