Kochi: A youth who sold his mother's bank account to cyber criminals to launder money landed himself and his mother in big trouble after he refused to pay back  ₹5 lakh the gang wanted to route through the mule account.

Sourav (22), a native of Meppayur in Kozhikode, was abducted from his apartment at Kalamassery, Kochi, and threatened with life by the gang, who wanted his mother to return the money.

The plan almost worked as the gang managed to get a major portion of the money, though police intervention foiled the criminal ploy and led to the arrest of one gang member. Sourav was released by the gang, unaware of the police action.

The Kalamassery police arrested Muhammed Hashir (21) of Perambra, Kozhikode, on Friday, soon after he came out of a bank in Meppayur with  ₹3.6 lakh, withdrawn using a cheque issued by Sourav’s mother.

Sourav had allegedly withdrawn the remaining amount earlier. The police have launched an investigation into the alleged cyber fraud and hawala racket behind the scheme. The events unfolded over three days since April 30.

According to police, the criminal gang has been using mule accounts of youths, including students, to launder money obtained through suspected online fraud and hawala transactions. Mule account holders receive a commission.

It is suspected that Sourav, who has been job hunting after completing technical studies, had assisted the criminals in laundering money on previous occasions. However, in this instance, he failed to hand over the money to the gang on time and left for Kochi, where he stays with a friend.

The gang grew suspicious of Sourav’s behaviour and went to his house on April 30, where they threatened his mother to withdraw the money from her account. Though she went to the bank, she arrived after banking hours and could not make the withdrawal.

The gang then made her block the account and abducted Sourav from his apartment near the Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kalamassery, that evening. A friend of Sourav was also abducted but was later released at Palarivattom in the city.

Panicked, the released youth informed another friend, who then alerted the police. Officers visited the apartment and began a preliminary investigation. By 11 pm, the roommate who had been released at Palarivattom returned to the flat and shared more details with the police. A case was registered in the early hours of May 1. Investigators traced the gang with the help of the victim’s family and Kozhikode rural police.

The gang had planned to make Sourav’s mother withdraw the money the following day. However, the plan was delayed as May 1 was a public holiday. On the next working day, Hashir accompanied Sourav’s mother to the bank and withdrew the money using a cheque. The police, who had been tracking Hashir, waited outside the bank and apprehended him with the cash.

Hashir sent a photo of the seized cash to other members of the gang, who responded by sharing the location where Sourav would be released. Before police could reach the spot, the gang let Sourav go near Balussery and fled.

A manhunt is underway to trace the rest of the gang involved in the abduction. It is suspected that multiple groups were involved in moving the victim from Kochi to Kozhikode. Sourav was allegedly assaulted during the ordeal.

The police have ensured protection for the youth. Hashir, who faces charges of kidnapping, robbery, and causing hurt, was remanded in judicial custody on May 3. The investigation is being led by Kalamassery Sub-Inspector Sebastian Chacko. The team includes SI Shameer, ASI Binu, and CPOs Mahin Aboobacker, Arun Sirendran, and Libin Kumar.