India 's top intelligence agency has arrested a suspect for supplying SIM cards to cybercriminal networks . The arrest was made as part of Operation Chakra-V. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI ), the suspect was arrested in the northeastern Indian city of Guwahati after allegedly evading authorities since August 2025.
Investigators say the defendant played a central role in the procurement and distribution ofillegally issued SIM cards. These cards were used in a series of online scams. Law enforcement is increasingly focusing on the infrastructure that enables digital crime , not just the individuals who carry out the scams.
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Illegally acquired SIM cards are a valuable tool for cybercriminals, as they can be used to create anonymous accounts, bypass identity checks, obtain one-time passwords (OTPs), and operate fraud call centers.
The CBI said its wider investigation has uncovered a network involving Point of Sale (POS) agents, who allegedly issued SIM cards using fake or inadequately verified customer identities.
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How were illegal SIM cards used?
These SIM cards were allegedly supplied to criminals linked to fake “digital arrest” extortion scams, fraudulent loan offers, and investment fraud.
Authorities said they had previously conducted searches at around 45 locations across eight Indian states. These searches led to the arrest of 10 POS agents. The last suspect is believed to have acted as an aggregator within the network.
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Investigators allege that the accused transferred nearly ₹67 lakh through multiple bank accounts to procure around 10,000 illegal SIM cards. Evidence related to postal consignments used to distribute the cards has also been recovered, suggesting a structured logistics chain.
From a cybersecurity perspective, the case highlights how identity theft telecom remains a critical threat. Even the most sophisticated fraud campaigns often rely on simple means, such as illegally issued SIM cards, mule bank accounts, and compromised identity records.
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