Rs 84L routed through 9 bank accounts

Belagavi: The Cyber Crime Police have started an investigation into illegal financial transactions amounting to over Rs 84 lakh, routed through nine bank accounts belonging to a 25-year-old woman from Ashok Nagar in the city.The woman, Washiya, lodged an FIR against a youth from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, alleging that he used her bank accounts for online fraudulent activities.Police said Washiya earlier worked at an ashram school. Investigators found that suspicious transactions continued in her bank accounts even after she left her job. During verification of her mobile number and banking details, the Cyber Crime team detected links to large-scale fund transfers.A preliminary inquiry revealed that she accepted a friend request on Instagram from a person identifying himself as Amir Khan from Uttar Pradesh. They communicated through video calls. Police said the accused persuaded her to allow transactions through her bank accounts, promising a commission of Rs 100 to Rs 200 per transaction.As instructed, she allegedly withdrew the transferred amounts within hours of each deposit. Over a period of nearly one month, more than Rs 84 lakh was routed through nine accounts linked to her.Officials suspect that the accused used her accounts as ‘mule accounts' to channel funds obtained through cyber fraud. Realising she may have been exploited after noticing unusually large transactions within a short span, the woman approached the police.A case was registered, and efforts are under way to trace and apprehend the accused, who allegedly operated under a false identity.