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India
In a major breakthrough against cross-border cybercrime, Assam Police, in collaboration with Gajraj Military Intelligence and the Special Task Force (STF), has busted a fake SIM card racket with alleged links to Pakistan.
Actionable Information was received from Gajraj Military Intelligence about a racket involving fake SIM cards being used from bases in Assam, Rajasthan, and Telangana for Cyber crimes and other anti-national activities, including sensitive information gathering by agents sitting in Pakistan. This information was further developed by the Special Branch and Special Task Force of Assam Police.
Therefore, after strategic deliberation with the Gajraj intelligence unit, a joint operation was planned to be carried out simultaneously in two districts of Assam, one district in Telangana, and two districts in Rajasthan. The operation has been named Operation GHOST SIM.
On 14/05/2025, a case was registered at STF, Assam, vide STF PS Case No. 02/2025 under Sections 61(2)/147/148/62 of BNS, read with Section 18 of the UA(P) Act and Section 66 of the IT Act, and an investigation was launched. Accordingly, a team was dispatched to each of the states-Rajasthan and Telangana-while dedicated action teams were formed for the districts of Dhubri and Morigaon in Assam.
The operation, aided by police forces from Rajasthan and Telangana, has resulted in the arrest of seven individuals and the seizure of 945 SIM cards.
According to investigators, the racket involved the procurement of SIM cards through fraudulent means, which were later used to create WhatsApp accounts operated from Pakistan.
These accounts are suspected to be part of cybercrime and espionage networks.
The arrested accused have been identified as:
1. Akeek (25), S/o Hakimuddin, Village Rojki, PS Nagar, District Bharatpur, Rajasthan
2. Arshad Khan (33), S/o Hakimuddin, Village Rojki, PS Nagar, District Bharatpur, Rajasthan
3. Arif Khan (20), S/o Azhar Khan, Sahodi Ka Bar, PS Akbarpur, District Alwar, Rajasthan
4. Sajid (21), S/o Banne Khan, Sahodi Ka Bar, PS Akbarpur, District Alwar, Rajasthan
5. Saddik (47), S/o Dhanna, Village Bela Dawak, PS Sikri, Tehsil Nagar, District Bharatpur, Rajasthan
6. Mofijul Islam (19), S/o Sabir Ali, Kathaldi Pt-II, PS Bilasipara, District Dhubri, Assam
7. Jakaria Ahmed (24), S/o Lt Mojibar Rahman, Village Segunmari Pt-IV, PS Bilasipara, District Dhubri, Assam
Investigations revealed that the accused were part of a larger network with operational links between Assam and Rajasthan. Akeek was intercepted at Guwahati Airport while carrying multiple fake SIM cards, which unravelled the racket.
Assam DGP Harmeet Singh stated, “We got inputs from Gajraj Military Intelligence that they are sending OTPs to people in Pakistan to set up Indian WhatsApp accounts. Based on that, the Special Branch and Special Task Force started an investigation, and Operation Ghost was launched. As per that, teams were sent to Rajasthan and Telangana. These SIM cards are taken on somebody else’s name and are used for cybercrime and anti-national activities, and some of these numbers are used by anti-national accounts.”
So far, 15 more suspects are under interrogation, and further raids are being conducted across both Assam and Rajasthan. Telangana and Rajasthan police have played a critical role in tracking the network’s interstate operatives.
