CBI Arrests Bihar Mobile Operator Distributor Over Illegal SIM Box Operation

New Delhi , September 12 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an area distributor of a mobile operator in Bihar’s Vaishali district for allegedly issuing a large number of SIM cards fraudulently and facilitating their use in an illegal SIM Box operation linked to cyber-enabled frauds.

 

The CBI conducted searches at 10 locations in Vaishali district of Bihar and Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha as part of the investigation. Officials recovered incriminating material, including mobile phones, laptops and SIM cards, from the searched premises.

 

The case relates to an illegal SIM Box operation detected in Supaul district of Bihar last year. The Bihar government later transferred the case to the CBI for investigation.

 

According to the agency, more than 1,300 SIM cards were recovered from the premises where the operation was being run. Analysis of the SIM card data linked them to at least 73 cybercrime cases reported across India, including cases involving the “Digital Arrest” modus operandi.

 

 

 

The CBI identified several suspected Points of Sale (POS) from where the SIM cards had been issued. Most of the SIM cards were issued from Bihar and Odisha.

 

The arrested area distributor allegedly issued more than 700 SIM cards by misusing the credentials of over a dozen Points of Sale in Vaishali district, the CBI said.

 

 

The investigation also revealed that several subscribers were unaware that SIM cards had been issued in their names. Their identities may have been misused by obtaining multiple e-KYC authorisations during genuine visits to SIM card providers or through misuse of biometric data collected for other purposes.

 

The CBI is investigating alleged offences of cheating, forgery and extortion under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, identity theft and computer-related offences under the Information Technology Act, along with offences under the Telecommunications Act, 2022.