The investigation that unraveled one of India’s largest cyber fraud rackets began modestly, with two complaints filed in Jodhpur. Both alleged that mobile numbers registered in the names of ordinary individuals had been used to defraud victims hundreds of kilometres away, without the knowledge of the SIM holders themselves.
One of the complainants, Barkat Khan, told police that a SIM card issued in his name had been used to cheat a victim in Cyberabad, Telangana, of nearly ₹8.9 crore. The SIM, investigators later discovered, was active not in India but in Cambodia. A second complaint followed a similar pattern, involving WhatsApp-based fraud and numbers that appeared legitimate on paper but were operating far beyond India’s borders.
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What initially looked like isolated cases soon pointed to a much larger, coordinated operation. Acting on these complaints, the Jodhpur Police Commissionerate, under Commissioner Om Prakash, expanded the probe, drawing in national cybercrime databases and telecom records.
SIM Cards, Cambodia and a ₹1,100-Crore Web
With assistance from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, investigators uncovered a staggering scale. Between September and November 2025, around 36,000 Indian SIM cards were found active on Cambodian roaming networks, drawn from a larger pool of nearly 2.3 lakh suspicious mobile numbers.
Of these, police identified between 5,300 and 5,378 SIM cards that were directly linked to cyber fraud. The losses attributed to these numbers alone were estimated at ₹1,100 crore. The frauds ranged from fake investment schemes to business opportunity scams, often run through cloned apps, scripted calls and professional-looking digital interfaces.
The geographic footprint was equally striking. The network touched 32 states and Union Territories. Maharashtra alone accounted for losses of around ₹224 crore linked to more than 1,100 SIM cards, while Tamil Nadu saw several hundred crore rupees siphoned off through hundreds more. For investigators, the pattern underscored how cybercrime syndicates now operate with the efficiency of transnational businesses, exploiting regulatory gaps and digital anonymity.
The Man Alleged to Be at the Centre
As the financial and technical trails converged, one name began to surface repeatedly: Sunil Kumar, a resident of the Anupgarh area in Sri Ganganagar district. Police allege that Kumar was a key supplier in the SIM card pipeline, responsible for issuing large volumes of connections across three telecom companies.
According to investigators, these SIM cards did not remain with their nominal owners. Instead, they were systematically diverted, routed out of India and activated in Cambodia, where they became tools for fraud operations run from call centres and online platforms targeting Indian victims.
Once this link became clear, the case was shifted from Jodhpur to the Cyber Police Station in Sri Ganganagar, where a fresh FIR was registered late Monday night. The investigation is now being led by Inspector Satveer Meena, the acting in-charge of the cyber police station. Jodhpur police have already arrested six Indian nationals allegedly involved in different layers of the SIM supply chain, while efforts to trace overseas handlers continue.
A Network That Exposed Systemic Gaps
For law enforcement officials, the case has highlighted vulnerabilities far beyond one district or one accused individual. The misuse of SIM cards registered to unsuspecting citizens, the ease with which numbers can be activated abroad, and the role of foreign call centres have all emerged as critical fault lines.
The fact that a single SIM card could facilitate fraud worth nearly ₹9 crore, without its registered owner’s knowledge, has raised questions about identity verification, telecom oversight and cross-border coordination. Investigators say the racket’s success lay not just in deception, but in scale: thousands of numbers, layered financial trails and victims spread across the country.
As the probe deepens, authorities are examining whether similar SIM-based networks are operating elsewhere and whether telecom intermediaries or facilitators turned a blind eye. For now, the Sri Ganganagar-linked racket stands as a stark example of how India’s digital growth has been mirrored by an equally sophisticated shadow economy—one that operates across borders, platforms and regulatory systems, often before its victims realise they are trapped.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
