The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has announced a significant arrest in an ongoing “Digital Arrest” cybercrime investigation. On November 11, 2025, the CBI arrested a Bank Manager from a private bank in Mumbai for actively participating in and facilitating a large-scale cybercrime network.
Mule accounts are bank accounts used to move or hide money that comes from illegal activities, such as cyber fraud, scams, or money laundering.
The investigation revealed that the arrested bank official was operating in collusion with known cybercriminals. The manager allegedly accepted illegal payments (gratification) and used their official position to quickly process and open numerous bank accounts.
These accounts, often referred to as “mule accounts,” were then used by the cybercriminals as channels to move and “layer” the money stolen through various frauds, including the sophisticated “Digital Arrest” scams. According to the CBI, these mule accounts were actively involved in multiple cybercrime operations.
Following the arrest, the CBI registered a formal case against the bank manager under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the newly implemented BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) for offenses related to public servants accepting bribes and abusing their position. The accused was presented before a competent court in Mumbai and has been remanded to CBI custody for further, detailed questioning.
In connection with this case, two cybercriminals who paid the illegal bribes to the bank manager have also been formally named as accused in the FIR. The CBI notes that both of these individuals were already under arrest in connection with the primary Digital Arrest Cybercrime case, demonstrating a clear link between the bribery and the broader criminal conspiracy.
Warning to the Banking Sector
Material collected during the investigation strongly suggests a wider, organized pattern where criminal networks deliberately exploit the formal banking system to create these mule accounts. These accounts serve to quickly move and hide the proceeds of cyber fraud stolen from unsuspecting citizens.
The CBI issued a firm warning, emphasizing that any active or passive role played by a banker—whether from a private or cooperative bank—in assisting cybercrime will lead to strict legal action under the PC Act and BNS. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to taking action against any such complicit bankers.
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