Delhi Police have dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime network tied to sextortion, telecom fraud, and unauthorized banking operations. Two key operatives Manish alias Himanshu, a telecom POS agent, and Vipin Kumar, a 20-year-old from Alwar were arrested, in connection with over 60 complaints and more than 100 victims across India.
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SIM Cards and Synthetic Accounts: Infrastructure for Scams
Authorities uncovered that Manish used manipulated Aadhaar-based biometrics to illicitly issue duplicate SIM cards, which he sold to cybercriminals. These SIMs were then used in sextortion schemes and online banking frauds . Five unauthorized SIM cards were recovered during his arrest.
Vipin, recruited via social media in late 2024, supplied pre-crafted ‘synthetic bank account kits.’ These kits—his own or others’ fabricated bank accounts—were used to launder extorted funds. He admitted to delivering at least eight such kits and earning approximately ₹6 lakh, which he spent on luxury stays and branded goods.
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National Impact: Complaints, FIRs, Evidence Trail
The SIMs and synthetic accounts linked to the suspects have been tied to at least 60 separate complaints via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Investigators also discovered four FIRs connected to numbers recovered during the investigation.
The racket involved staged loan call centres, fake telecom services, and extortion via intimate video content. Arrests followed raids led by DCP Aditya Gautam and ACP Anil Sharma. Their operation identified a digital money trail worth over ₹5 crore and revealed a wider syndicate, including call-centre operators and social media analysts.
About the Author – Anirudh Mittal is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.