CBI arrests Guwahati man for supplying 10,000 illegal SIM cards to cybercrime network

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a key conspirator involved in an illegal SIM card procurement racket that allegedly supplied thousands of mobile connections to cybercriminal networks operating across India.

The accused, Ubaid Ullah , was arrested from Guwahati in the early hours of April 19 after remaining absconding since August 2025 , officials said. Investigators believe he played a pivotal role in a large-scale network that illegally obtained and distributed SIM cards used in online fraud schemes.

According to the CBI, Ullah functioned as an aggregator of illegally issued SIM cards in Guwahati , coordinating with several Point of Sale (POS) agents who fraudulently issued SIM cards without proper verification . These connections were then supplied to cybercriminal groups, enabling anonymous communication channels for fraud operations.

The investigation revealed that the accused transferred around ₹67 lakh through multiple bank accounts to POS agents to procure approximately 10,000 illegally issued SIM cards . Officials also found evidence of courier transactions used to transport and receive the SIM cards , suggesting a structured distribution network.

The SIM cards were allegedly used in various cyber offences including fake “digital arrest” scams, fraudulent loan offers, and bogus investment schemes targeting unsuspecting victims across the country.

The arrest was made as part of the CBI’s ongoing Operation Chakra-V , a nationwide crackdown aimed at dismantling cybercrime infrastructure and the networks enabling such frauds.

During the course of the probe, the agency conducted searches at nearly 45 locations across eight states , leading to the arrest of 10 POS agents allegedly involved in illegally issuing SIM cards . Officials said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the network and trace additional financial links tied to the racket.