Panchkula/Karnal, September 17
Haryana Police’s Cyber Cell has busted a major cyber fraud network, exposing a fake current account opened in a Kotak Mahindra Bank branch in Karnal. The account was opened under the guise of fruit and vegetable trade, showing an annual turnover of ₹20 lakh. However, within just six months, suspicious transactions worth ₹5.70 crore were detected in this account. Police have registered a case against accused Pulkit Bhardwaj along with other accomplices and initiated an investigation. Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur congratulated the Cyber team of Panchkula for this achievement.
How was it exposed?
A special team constituted under the directions of the Inspector General of Police, Cyber Haryana, conducted an inspection of Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Karnal branch on 16 September. Account number 034956181 was opened by Pulkit Bhardwaj, resident of Sant Nagar, Karnal. At the time of opening, he cited fruit and vegetable trading as the business, declaring an annual turnover of ₹20 lakh. But the reality was entirely different. Investigations revealed that between November 2024 and May 2025, deposits of ₹5,70,48,200 and withdrawals of ₹5,70,44,822 were made. The current balance in the account stands at only ₹3,377.
Fake address and business cover
During the probe, police found that the address submitted for account opening was shown as a commercial area, while in reality, it was a residential area. On-site verification revealed no fruit or vegetable shop, warehouse, hoarding, or nameplate. This made it clear that the account was opened solely for rotating money linked to cyber fraud.
14 complaints from across the country
So far, 14 complaints have been registered against this account on the NCRP (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal), one of which is related to Haryana. This confirms that the account was part of a nationwide cyber fraud chain.
Legal action
In this case, FIR No. 148 dated 16.09.2025 has been registered at Cyber Crime Police Station, Karnal under Section 318(4) of BNS against Pulkit Bhardwaj and his associates. Police are now tracing the entire money trail to determine into which accounts these large sums were transferred.
91 suspicious bank branches on police radar
Haryana Police informed that 91 bank branches in the state have been found suspicious so far, where cybercriminals opened fake accounts to circulate fraud money. Police are continuously identifying such accounts, and banks have also been directed to strictly follow rules while opening accounts.
Public advisory
Cyber Police have cautioned citizens not to deposit money into unknown accounts, not to trust suspicious calls, messages, or links, and to immediately inform the bank or police if someone shows small business credentials but engages in large-scale transactions. In case of any cyber fraud, people are advised to immediately call the National Cyber Helpline 1930. Special teams have been activated to crack down on fake bank accounts, and regular arrests of criminals are being carried out.
