The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Binu Vidhyadharan, an area sales manager of Vodafone posted in New Delhi, for allegedly facilitating the fraudulent issuance of bulk SIM cards that were later used by a cyber-criminal gang involved in large-scale phishing operations, officials said on Thursday.
The role of Vidhyadharan came to light during a CBI probe into a cybercrime syndicate operating from the Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh region, which was busted in December last year. Queries seeking a response from the telecom company remained unanswered.
According to investigators, the gang was providing bulk SMS services to international cyber criminals who targeted Indian citizens using deceptive messages.
In an official statement, a CBI spokesperson said the accused had procured nearly 21,000 SIM cards in violation of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) norms. These SIM cards were used to transmit bulk phishing messages, enabling cyber criminals to reach thousands of victims simultaneously.
The SIM cards were controlled through an online platform, allowing the gang to send mass messages offering fake loans, investment schemes, and other financial benefits, with the objective of stealing personal and banking details of unsuspecting individuals.
Earlier, three accused, including a channel partner of the telecom service provider, were arrested in December 2025 and are currently lodged in judicial custody, the agency said.
During further investigation, the CBI found that Vidhyadharan had actively facilitated the bulk issuance of SIM cards by projecting dummy individuals as employees of M/s Lord Mahavira Services India Private Limited and submitting their documents for KYC verification.
“It was also revealed that members of a family residing in Bengaluru were among those falsely shown as employees of the company,” the spokesperson added. Copies of their Aadhaar cards were recovered from the possession of the accused official.
Investigators said the SIM cards obtained through these fraudulent means were subsequently used in the phishing ecosystem uncovered during the probe. Phishing, officials explained, is often the first step in cyber fraud, where mass SMSes, calls, or messages are used to lure victims with false offers or threats. Once victims click malicious links or share sensitive information, they are drawn into larger scams, resulting in significant monetary losses.
The CBI said further investigation is underway to identify other officials, intermediaries, and cybercrime networks linked to the misuse of bulk SIM cards.
