New Delhi, April 20
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday said it has arrested a key conspirator in Guwahati who allegedly procured over 10,000 SIM cards through illegal means for use in cybercrime. The accused, identified as Ubaid Ullah, was apprehended in the early hours of Sunday after remaining absconding since August last year.
According to officials, Ullah was operating as an aggregator of illegally issued SIM cards and played a significant role in supplying them to cybercriminal networks. A CBI spokesperson said the investigation revealed that he transferred nearly Rs 67 lakh through multiple bank accounts to Point of Sale agents to obtain the SIM cards.
“Investigation has revealed that the accused transferred approximately Rs 67 lakh through multiple bank accounts to POS agents to procure around 10,000 illegally issued SIM cards,” the spokesperson said. The agency also found evidence of courier transactions used for receiving the SIM cards.
The arrest is part of Operation Chakra V, under which the CBI has intensified its crackdown on cybercrime infrastructure across the country. The case was registered last year against Point of Sale agents accused of issuing SIM cards illegally and facilitating cyber offences such as fake digital arrests, loan frauds and investment scams.
During the investigation, the agency conducted searches at approximately 45 locations across eight states. These operations led to the arrest of 10 accused POS agents involved in the illegal issuance of SIM cards. Officials said further investigation is underway to trace the larger network and identify how the illegally procured SIM cards were used in cybercrime operations, with efforts focused on dismantling the entire chain.
