The Kerala Police arrested 263 people suspected of cyber financial fraud in a day-long special drive across the state on Thursday (October 30, 2025). A total of 382 cases have been registered under the drive named “Operation Cy-Hunt” aimed at identifying and arresting persons involved in organized cyber fraud crimes committed across the country.
Those arrested include those who illegally obtained financial benefits by withdrawing proceeds of cybercrime through ATMs and cheques, as well as people who rented out their bank accounts for a commission. Leased accounts are called “mule accounts” in cybercrime parlance.
The Ernakulam Rural Police recorded the highest number of arrests during the drive, nabbing 43 suspects. Malappuram came second with 30 arrests, followed by Kannur city and Kozhikode city, which each reported 23 arrests. No arrests were reported from Wayanad, while the Ernakulam city police made only two arrests.
Most cases were registered in Alappuzha with a total of 50. It was followed by Kozhikode city with 43 cases and Kasaragod reported 40. Out of these, 38 accused were arrested and booked by the Kasaragod police. As part of the drive, police officers conducted 714 raids and seized 88 devices related to the detected cases.
Account holders whose bank accounts were used in cyber financial fraud without their knowledge, those who received funds through hawala or other suspicious transactions, and suspects who, based on preliminary investigations, were found to have no direct involvement in the crimes were served notices and released under supervision pending further investigation, police said.
The drive was conducted based on information obtained from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. The data contained details of 2,683 people suspected of withdrawing money using cheques, 361 who withdrew funds through ATMs and 665 mule accounts identified during the investigation.
S. Sreejith, Additional Director General of Police, Sateesh Bino, Deputy Inspector General, Ernakulam Range, and District Superintendent of Police (Ernakulam City) Putta Vimaladitya briefed the media about the drive.
Published – 30 Oct 2025 21:05 IST
