The CBI has arrested three people, including the Territorial Sales Manager of a telecom company, for their involvement in the illicit distribution of SIM cards used in cybercrimes. As part of its ‘Operation Chakra,’ designed to combat cybercrime and dismantle its infrastructure, the CBI conducted searches at five locations in Assam’s Cachar district. The investigation was launched due to the unauthorized sale of SIM cards used to facilitate various cybercrimes, including digital arrest scams, impersonation, and fraudulent financial transactions like investment and UPI scams. The Territorial Sales Manager in Silchar, Assam, was found to have colluded with middlemen, distributors, and Point of Sale (PoS) agents to issue unauthorized SIM cards in violation of established guidelines. These SIM cards were then sold illegally in bulk, and subsequently used to carry out various cybercrimes. The searches resulted in the seizure of incriminating evidence, including mobile phones and KYC documentation. The accused were presented before the local Magistrate Court, and a transit remand was secured. The suspects are scheduled to appear before the jurisdictional FIR Court.
