Hyderabad, April 1 The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested five cyber criminals closely associated with a cyber fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia, defrauding Indian citizens of crores of rupees, a senior official said on Wednesday.
The arrested accused are from Hyderabad, Warangal, and Uttar Pradesh.
According to TGCSB Director Shikha Goel, Syed Ashraf Ali was intercepted at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, on Tuesday when he was trying to carry 198 SIM cards to Cambodia on the instructions of Rizvan, the main accused, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.
The Immigration authorities handed over Ashraf Ali to the TGCSB. A case under Sections 66 C, D ITA Act-2008 and Sections 318(4), 56, 61, 113 r/w 62 BNS, section 42(3)(e) of the Telecommunication Act was registered at Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS) headquarters, TGCSB.
During questioning, Ashraf Ali revealed their organised network, which includes a mastermind operating from Cambodia. Rizvan was coordinating the SIM card procurement through local agents who illegally obtain SIM cards from innocent people.
The TGCSB found that more than 600 SIM cards have been illegally transported since 2023 in six separate instances through this organised network. While five accused have been arrested so far, the network is much larger, with multiple layers of operatives, the official said.
According to a release from the TGSCB, Ashraf Ali went to Dubai in 2023, where he befriended Rizvan. At that time, Ashraf Ali was working in a hotel, and Rizvan was working in a gaming call centre. Rizvan offered him a lucrative amount for supplying Indian SIM cards. Ashraf began procuring SIM cards, and these Indian SIM cards are being used for cybercrimes like phishing, identity theft, impersonation, and extortion.
The illegal supply chain worked in a structured manner from local Point of Sale (POS) agents on commission, often using fake or impersonated documents. Syed Sohail, Ateeq Ahmed, both from Hyderabad, and Nune Ashok of Warangal operated POS centres. Sohail works in Jio as a promoter and has an Airtel POS too. Ateeq and Ashok run an Airtel POS. Together, they willfully and with complete knowledge procured and supplied over 600 active SIM cards to be used for financial fraud, the TGSCB said.
Arvind Kumar alias Shahid, who works as a courier for this gang, is absconding, and efforts are on to apprehend him along with the remaining members of the network, including those operating from abroad.
The TGCSB Director stated that such activities are serious offences that affect national security, economic stability, and public order. Using fraudulently procured SIM cards allows criminals to operate anonymously, making detection and enforcement harder for law enforcement agencies.
The TGCSB remains vigilant and has a zero-tolerance approach towards such crimes. Strict legal action will be taken against all involved. The public is advised to be careful and aware of such activities, she added.
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