sim card

Police in Kolkata have arrested 12 individuals who issued nearly 10,000 pre-activated sim cards using stolen KYC and biometrics. Some of these SIMs were used for digital fraud and extortion, with connections to criminal networks in Southeast Asia. Authorities are intensifying efforts to combat this menace with telecom providers' cooperation.

Deblina Chakraborty, a 24-year-old homemaker from Kestopur, Kolkata, was arrested for selling fraudulent sim cards, used in at least 211 cybercrimes. Police recovered 2,200 sim cards, biometric machines, and mobile phones from her and her associates. Chakraborty exploited POS counters near slums to obtain biometric data unlawfully, facilitating cybercrime operations across multiple states.

Subhash Kumar Sharma, convicted for the honor killing of Dalit youth Perumalla Pranay Kumar in 2018, stayed in Hyderabad for 57 days before committing the crime in Nalgonda. Sharma received assistance from Abdul Bari and frequently changed hotels. Key accused, Maruthi Rao, maintained contact with other conspirators from early 2018, using fake sim cards.