Assam: CBI arrests 3 persons in unauthorised sale of SIM cards

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches at five locations in the Cachar district and arrested three persons, including the territorial sales manager of a telecom company, as part of 'Operation Chakra'.

The three arrested persons have been identified as Debashish Doley, Territorial Sales Manager of Airtel, Silchar; and Mahim Uddin Barbhuiya and Ashim Purkayastha, both middlemen.

The CBI registered a case with regard to the unauthorised sale of SIM cards across the country, which were being used in committing various cybercrimes like digital arrest frauds, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, investment scams and UPI-related frauds. As part of these investigations, it has been revealed that the Territorial Sales Manager of the said Telecom Company, Silchar, Assam, colluded with the middlemen, distributors and Point of Sale (PoS) agents with regard to the issuing of unauthorised SIM cards without the knowledge of the persons in whose name SIM cards were officially issued. These sales were done by violating the laid-down guidelines and procedures. These SIM cards were sold illegally in bulk to various middlemen at high cost, and later these SIM cards were used in the commission of various cybercrimes.

This operation is aimed at curbing the sale and misuse of unauthorised SIM cards being sold through distributors/PoS agents. The searches resulted in the seizure of incriminating evidence like mobile phones, electronic devices and copies of KYC documents, etc.

According to sources, earlier the CBI identified 39 PoS, including seven belonging to Silchar and other places in the Cachar district.An analysis of the data provided by the Department of Telecommunications and I4C, Ministry of Home Affairs, revealed that approximately 1,100 SIM cards were issued by the 39 PoS. These SIMs were used in various cybercrimes. Around 2200 complaints were found on the National Crime Reporting Portal against the 1100 SIM cards.

The modus operandi came to light that for issuing SIM cards, eKYC of the customer is mandatory, and this has to be done by PoS agents. When a customer visits the PoS for the purchase of a SIM card, the PoS agent does the eKYC of the said customer. During the eKYC, the PoS agent informs the customer that the process has failed and asks the customer for another eKYC. However, in the meantime, the PoS agents issue a SIM card during the eKYC. The customer, however, has no knowledge of the ghost SIM card. The PoS then sells the ghost SIM cards to cybercriminals, which are used for opening mule bank accounts and other fraudulent activities.

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