In a significant breakthrough, Anuj Kumar, a 29-year-old registered SIM card retailer, was arrested by Delhi Police from Jehanabad, Bihar, after a five-day operation. Kumar is accused of supplying over 5,000 illegal SIM cards used in cybercrimes across South Asia, including countries like China and Cambodia.
The arrest followed a complaint from Gautam Kumar, a representative of Starcon Infra Projects India, who alleged that he was defrauded of Rs20 lakh by a man posing as a company director. The fraudster, who made contact via WhatsApp, manipulated Gautam Kumar into transferring the large sum of money. During the investigation, it was revealed that the SIM cards supplied by Anuj Kumar played a significant role in enabling such cybercrimes.
The operation led by DCP (South East) Ravi Kumar Singh resulted in the seizure of 5,000 illegal SIM cards and 25 mobile phones. As part of the investigation, the police discovered that 250 SIM cards were still active, continuing to facilitate cybercrimes. A bank account linked to the fraud, which allegedly held the defrauded Rs20 lakh, was also frozen through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
Anuj Kumar’s role as a SIM card retailer allowed him to legally distribute SIM cards, but he allegedly abused this position to supply illegal SIM cards to cybercriminals across multiple regions. These SIM cards were used to conduct a variety of frauds, including financial scams and identity thefts.
Delhi Police are continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of the cybercrime network and identify other individuals involved in the illegal SIM card trade. The authorities are focusing on tracking the origins and destinations of the illegally supplied SIM cards to uncover more fraudulent activities.