India’s Central Bureau of Investigation carried out coordinated searches at 42 premises across Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh as part of “Operation Chakra-V,” a nationwide crackdown on cyber-fraud networks that rely on so-called mule bank accounts. Preliminary findings indicate cybercriminals opened roughly 850,000 mule accounts in more than 700 bank branches to launder proceeds from impersonation scams, fake investment schemes, UPI fraud and so-called “digital arrest” extortion. Many of the accounts were allegedly created without proper know-your-customer documentation, pointing to possible collusion or negligence by some branch officials. The agency has arrested nine suspects, including middlemen, account holders and bank correspondents, and seized digital devices, KYC records and transaction data. An FIR cites criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption charges against unidentified bank staff and others, and the CBI said further arrests are likely as the investigation continues.