Hyderabad | In a major crackdown on organised cyber crime, the Cyber Crimes Wing of the Cyberabad Police has busted an interstate cyber fraud network accused of siphoning off nearly ₹77.75 lakh through vishing calls, e-SIM manipulation and OTP diversion techniques. Investigators said the gang impersonated officials from reputed banks and telecom verification departments to deceive victims and gain unauthorised access to their bank accounts using sophisticated digital tactics.
The arrested accused have been identified as Selim Mondal, Abdul Alim SK alias Mittu, Saiyad Hasim Reza alias Tippu, Mijanur Rahaman Shaik, Bansidhar and Mehebub Alam Ansari. All six were apprehended from West Bengal on transit warrants and later produced before a court in Hyderabad, following which they were remanded to judicial custody.
Registration Begins for FutureCrime Summit 2026, India’s Largest Cybercrime Conference
According to the preliminary investigation, the accused allegedly posed as executives from the Citibank Prestige Credit Card division and officials involved in telecom verification procedures. During calls, victims were informed that their mobile numbers or banking services required urgent verification and that their e-SIMs needed to be converted into physical SIM cards. Under this pretext, the gang reportedly extracted sensitive information from unsuspecting individuals.
Investigators said the most alarming aspect of the operation involved couriering preloaded mobile devices embedded with suspicious applications to victims. The victims were allegedly instructed to insert their SIM cards into these devices for verification purposes. Once activated, banking OTPs, transaction alerts and other confidential messages were automatically redirected to the accused, enabling them to gain unauthorised access to bank accounts and carry out fraudulent online transactions.
During police custody, investigators conducted searches at multiple locations in West Bengal linked to the accused. The raids led to the recovery of nearly ₹15 lakh in cash. From the possession of the prime accused, Selim Mondal, police seized six mobile phones, a laptop, five SIM cards, Citibank labels, Motorola stickers and an AUX voice transmitter cable. Another accused, Saiyad Hasim Reza, was allegedly found with ₹13 lakh in cash and a mobile phone, while Bansidhar was found in possession of ₹2 lakh and a mobile device. Additional digital gadgets and mobile phones were also recovered from the remaining accused.
Cyber crime experts believe the case reflects an advanced form of organised digital fraud involving social engineering, telecom manipulation and identity theft rather than ordinary phone scams. Renowned cyber crime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said cyber criminals are no longer limited to merely asking for OTPs but are increasingly attempting to take control of victims’ mobile networks and SIM infrastructure to infiltrate entire banking systems. He noted that such gangs combine technical expertise with psychological manipulation to confuse and exploit victims.
Police have urged citizens not to share OTPs, banking credentials, SIM-related details or KYC information with unknown callers under any circumstances. Authorities also warned people against inserting their SIM cards into courier-delivered devices or downloading applications from unverified sources without proper authentication.
Investigating agencies said the probe is still underway and that more bank accounts, interstate connections and possible accomplices are being examined. Officials indicated that further arrests could follow as the investigation progresses into what is being viewed as a highly organised cyber fraud module operating across multiple states.
