Bengaluru auto driver persuaded to open bank account which was used for cyber crime

Police in Bengaluru are searching for a man who suggested to an autorickshaw driver opening a savings account in a private bank in order to receive government funding for his vehicle, only to use the account for fraudulent purposes online.

Police identified an autorickshaw-driving Kamala Nagar resident as the beneficiary of one of the beneficiary accounts while looking into a cybercrime. It caught him off guard. He told the authorities that his friend was using the account.

While waiting for the Karnataka government to respond to his request for a subsidy, the auto driver was unaware that transactions totalling ₹34 lakh had occurred in the account over the course of three months.

The driver of the vehicle informed the police that in November 2023, a friend of his had introduced him to the accused. The accused, who claimed to have contacts in the State Government, told the driver that opening an SB account was a necessary step in the process of getting an autorickshaw at a government-subsidized rate.

The auto driver gave the accused his passbook, cheque book, and ATM card after opening an account at a private bank so that his application for a subsidy could proceed.

Authorities believe the accused is a member of a network that offers bank accounts for online fraud. Searches are underway to find the accused.