Kolkata Police busts fake SIM racket: 10 arrested, over 2,000 SIMs, ₹2.38 lakh seized

The Cyber Crime department of Kolkata Police has arrested 10 individuals in connection with an illegal SIM card racket following multi-phase raids across the city and suburbs. The case, registered as Cyber PS, Kolkata Case No. 11/25 dated February 21, was initiated suo motu against certain Point of Sale (POS) operators engaged in activating SIM cards using fraudulent credentials and selling them to third parties. Raids conducted on February 24 and 25 led to the arrest of eight persons, and police seized 729 activated and raw SIM cards, nine biometric authentication machines, and other materials. Four of the arrested individuals remain in police custody until March 8, while the remaining four are held until March 10.

Further investigations led to fresh raids in the Tiljala area on March 3, where police arrested Suvendu Gayen (30), a POS operator, from Ankita Communication at 1C Kustia Road. A resident of Picnic Garden Road, Gayen was allegedly involved in activating SIM cards using unsuspecting customers’ credentials. Authorities recovered 1,222 SIM cards, ₹1,95,000 in cash, three mobile phones, and one fingerprint scanner from his possession. Following his interrogation, police set up a trap at a pre-decided location where another key suspect, Jitendra Agarwal (43), was intercepted and arrested later that night from Agarwal Communication on Muktaram Babu Street under Girish Park jurisdiction.

Agarwal, a resident of Bidhan Sarani, was found in possession of 52 active SIM cards without seal packs, ₹43,500 in cash, two fingerprint scanners, and one mobile phone. According to investigators, both individuals played a role in the distribution of illegally obtained SIM cards, which were allegedly sold at premium rates. The seized SIM cards and biometric devices are being examined for further leads, and police are looking into possible links with organized fraud networks.

All 10 arrested individuals will be presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Calcutta, on March 4. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement officials working to identify additional suspects and trace the end-users of the fraudulent SIM cards. Authorities have indicated that further arrests may follow as they continue their probe into the wider network involved in the unauthorized sale and activation of SIM cards.