Hyderabad:Cyberabad cybercrime police on Friday arrested four persons, including two bank employees, for allegedly facilitating the opening and operation of mule bank accounts that were later handed over to scamsters for online fraud.
The accused were identified as Jawwad Qadri Rifai and Mohammed Naushad, who allegedly acted as mule account providers; Pamula Pranavaraj, sales manager Shankar Rathi, branch manager, at a mercantile co-operative bank .; and
Police said Jawwad and Naushad, along with Mohd Anas Khan and others, rented a shutter at Pahadishareef, created a fake rental agreement, and submitted forged business documents to open a current account. Shankar and Pranavaraj allegedly facilitated the process.
ATM cards, cheque books, passbooks, SIM cards and internet banking access were then handed over to fraudsters. In October 2025, ₹6,67,565 defrauded from a victim was credited into one such account. The account holders reportedly received commissions, while the bank officials enabled the opening and operational control of the accounts.
Police said the accused had gone underground but were apprehended on Thursday. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime. Investigation revealed that more than 30 mule accounts had allegedly been opened in the same branch.
A case has been registered, and efforts are on to identify the remaining accused. Police advised the public not to share bank accounts, SIM cards or KYC documents, and urged citizens to report cybercrime by dialling 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in
Lorry catches fire near Chevella
Hyderabad:A gravel-laden lorry caught fire, allegedly due to a mechanical failure, near Antharam gate in Chevella at around 11.55 am on Friday. No casualties were reported. The lorry was transporting gravel from Shadnagar to Shabad. Sparks from the engine spread to the driver’s cabin. On noticing the smell, the driver parked the vehicle on the roadside, alighted from the vehicle and called the fire brigade. Firefighters reached the spot and brought the blaze under control. The front portion of the vehicle was completely damaged. Police said a case is yet to be registered.
Fire at plastic godown in Jeedimetla
Hyderabad:A major fire broke out at a plastic godown in Jeedimetla on Thursday night. Police suspect a short circuit may have triggered the blaze. There were no casualties, and the fire was doused by a fire engine deployed for the purpose. According to Jeedimetla police, the incident came to light when workers, who were about to leave the outlet, noticed thick smoke billowing from the godown. They immediately alerted the police, who in turn informed the Jeedimetla fire station. The owner of the godown has been identified as Ismail. Police said they are yet to receive an official written complaint.
6 students hurt in school bus mishap
Hyderabad:Six students sustained minor injuries after the school bus they were aboard collided with a mini-lorry near Shankarpally, within Mokila police station limits, on Friday morning. The police said the incident occurred while the students were heading to Narayana High School in Shankarpally. The bus was carrying 24 students at the time.
Police said the mini-lorry moving ahead of the bus applied sudden brakes on noticing a speed breaker, leading to the collision. The panic-stricken students were shifted to a nearby hospital. None of the staff members were injured.
After basic treatment, the students were discharged in the evening. Police registered a case against the bus driver, Akhil Goud, for rash and negligent driving. He was subjected to a breathalyzer test, which confirmed he was not drunk.
“We suspect he may have been drowsy as the incident occurred during morning hours. As the investigation progresses, we will initiate legal action against the school if we find any lapses on their end,” a police official said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
