300 SIMs Issued to Cyber Criminals, ₹50 Lakh Fraud Uncovered
Jodhpur, March 17 – The West District Police of Jodhpur has uncovered a major cyber fraud syndicate that was involved in activating SIM cards through fraudulent means and supplying them to cybercriminals. Two accused have been arrested so far, and investigations have revealed that the gang activated around 300 SIM cards fraudulently, leading to financial scams worth nearly ₹50 lakh.
🔍 How the Racket Operated
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Rajarshi Raj, intelligence was received about a SIM retailer named Rahul Mobile Wala, operating in Salawas Road, Jodhpur, who was allegedly issuing Airtel SIM cards fraudulently for personal gains. Acting on this tip-off, a special team was formed under Basni Police Station Officer Nitin Dave and Cyber Cell in-charge Prem Chaudhary to investigate the matter.
✔ Investigations revealed that multiple SIMs—four to five per person—were issued fraudulently under single identities.
✔ Upon summoning the SIM holders, complainant Suraj Singh disclosed that he had approached the retailer to port his BSNL SIM in September 2024.
✔ During the process, retailer Rahul Kumar Jha, along with associates Mohammad Iqbal and Mohammad Sharif, deceitfully obtained his Aadhaar details, fingerprints, and photos.
✔ Instead of activating the intended SIM, they repeatedly took his biometric details under false pretenses and, without his knowledge, activated multiple SIMs in his name.
✔ Realizing the fraud, Suraj Singh lodged a complaint at Basni Police Station, leading to the arrests.
🚔 Police Arrests & Seizures
✔ The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Rahul Kumar Jha (son of Raman Jha), originally from Rajnagar, Madhubani (Bihar), currently residing in Jodhpur.
- Mohammad Iqbal (son of Ibrahim Ali) from Denok Lohawat, Phalodi, residing in Indira Nagar, Jodhpur.
✔ The police have recovered: - 104 fraudulently activated SIM cards
- 31 mobile phones
- Two fingerprint scanning devices
- A checkbook and five ATM cards
- Nine blank signed checks belonging to other individuals
- Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and a ledger detailing fraudulent transactions
⚠️ ₹50 Lakh Cyber Fraud Linked to the Syndicate
Preliminary investigations indicate that this racket supplied over 300 fake SIM cards to cybercriminals, facilitating financial scams worth nearly ₹50 lakh across India.
✔ Authorities are conducting technical analysis on the activated SIMs to trace their usage in cyber fraud cases.
✔ 38 cyber fraud complaints from across the country have been linked to these fake SIMs.
🔴 Ongoing Investigation & Crackdown on Cybercrime
✔ The police are intensifying their probe to identify other members involved in the syndicate.
✔ Efforts are underway to track down cybercriminals who used these fraudulent SIMs for financial frauds.
The case has highlighted the growing misuse of SIM cards in cybercrime and raised concerns over security loopholes in telecom authentication processes.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
